CHRONIC INFECTIONS AND AUTOIMMUNITYA NEW / OLD DISCOVERY

Kai Kalhh - Hamburg/Deutschland - Pixabay

Last month the journal Nature Genetics published a study by an MD / Ph.D autoimmunity specialist named John Harley (Transcription Factors Operate Across Disease Loci, with EBNA2 Implicated in Autoimmunity). How did he feel about his paper? "I’ve been a co-author in almost 500 papers. This one is more important than all of the rest put together." What could possibly lead Harley, the Director of the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology (CAGE) program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, to make such a powerful statement? It seems that his team has proven something that the natural health community has known for a very long time --- that chronic infections with certain viruses (EBV or Epstein Barr and CMV or Cytomegalo Virus are two major offenders) are associated not only with CANCER but with a myriad of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES. Here is part of the study's cherry-picked abstract.

What Harley's team is saying is that certain transcription factors have an affinity for genes associated with certain diseases --- namely autoimmune diseases. Transcription factors are proteins that control the rate of taking the genetic information contained in DNA and turning it into RNA, which will eventually be used to make proteins, among other things. Transcription factors are critical because they can turn genes on or off so that they express themselves the right amount at the right time. When this system works, PHYSIOLOGY & HOMEOSTASIS progress seamlessly. However, when it does not, mutations of transcription factors can cause the diseases seen above, as well as any number of others.

When I've talked about the immune system in the past (HERE & HERE), I've discussed B-Cells --- the part of your system that makes antibodies --- the TH-2 portion of the system. EBV has a mechanism that allows it to commandeer B-Cells, alter their transcription factors, and make them do its bidding, potentially leading to the problems mentioned in this NIH Press Release (Epstein-Barr Virus Protein can 'Switch On' Risk Genes for Autoimmune Diseases). "Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the cause of infectious mononucleosis, has been associated with subsequent development of systemic lupus erythematosus and other chronic autoimmune illnesses... Many cases of autoimmune illness are difficult to treat and can result in debilitating symptoms." The NIH is not lying --- the list of mentioned diseases (LUPUS, MS, RA, T1D, JRA, CELIAC, and IBD / IBS) is devastating; especially when attacking like autoimmunity tends to do (I've always said that A.I. diseases are like a ravenous wolf pack, frequently attacking en masse).

During the polio epidemic of the 1940's and 50's, a little known fact is that virtually everyone had the disease. 90% had no symptoms whatsoever, with most of the remaining 10% having symptoms of a cold. However, for reasons not clearly understood, a small percentage came down with varying degrees of the paralysis we today call polio. In some ways EBV is similar. Although it's the virus best known for causing mono, only a small portion of the population ever contracts mono, even though antibody titers show that virtually everyone has been exposed to the virus. Furthermore, because CMV and EBV are both in the herpes family, in the same way that chicken pox can go dormant, hiding in nerve roots and then causing shingles later in life, these others can go dormant, potentially leading to autoimmunity. Listen to what Cort Johnson wrote in an article from Simmaron Research called The Autoimmune Virus? Groundbreaking EBV Finding Could Help Explain ME/CFS.

"We’re well equipped to ward off EBV when we’re young – it usually produces only minor symptoms – but as our immune systems alter as we age, that changes. Encountering EBV as an adolescent or adult (infectious mononucleosis, glandular fever) – as increasingly happens in our germ phobic age – often means months of convalescence as our immune systems struggle to ward off this powerful virus. The problems don’t stop there. We know that infectious mononucleosis is a common trigger of ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) but coming down with IM/glandular fever in adolescence has also been shown to increase one’s risk of coming down with multiple sclerosis 2-4 fold and lupus by fifty percent. Because of EBV’s ability to remain latent in the body, EBV reactivations are a huge problem for transplant patients with compromised immune systems."

Johnson went on to give some history, showing not only that peer-review has been nibbling around the edges of this link for over four decades, but that there are almost 100 other diseases being linked to EBV as well; likely to be proven in the wave of research this study will surely trigger. As far as CHRONIC FATIGUE is concerned; I've discussed it's relationship to glandular fever (mono) and numerous other chronic diseases HERE. By the way, ME/CFS is widely thought to be an autoimmune disease and is intimately associated with FIBROMYALGIA (a form of SMALL FIBER NEUROPATHY / ADRENAL FATIGUE that is itself likely autoimmune).

I couldn't possibly write about every health issue associated with EBV, but I am going to talk about just one in order to show you how easy it is to do your own research. If I randomly pick a health problem (I chose ESTROGEN DOMINANCE from the health categories section of my blog) and then search it with EBV, the first thing that comes up is an article on the site Metabolic Healing called Estrogen Dominance: Viruses & Autoimmune Disease. Although there has been a great deal of recent research on various autoimmune diseases as related to one's sex, listen to what the authors say of this relationship...

78% of people with autoimmune disease are women

The rate of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is 7X more likely to occur in women than men

What have I shown on my site forever? Women get autoimmune diseases at approximately three times the rate that men do (an even worse ratio with HASHIMOTO'S). I've talked about AROMATIZATION, although not due to EBV (due to sugar consumption), and I've talked at length about the difference between the TH1 and TH2 systems. In fact, in my search I found numerous articles on this subject, including a number of authors talking about the intimate relationship between EBV and autoimmunity --- a relationship that as Dr. Nikolas Hedberg said in his article Epstein-Barr Virus and Autoimmune Diseases, "The first connection in the literature between EBV and autoimmune disease was actually in 1971. So a little over 40 years ago when they found that patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus had elevated antibody levels to EBV.... We talked about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis which is basically Fibromyalgia Chronic Fatigue Syndrome of viral origin." Truth is, it's easy to find info linking EBV to just about any chronic health issue you care to study.

Let me show you one other interesting tidbit I discovered. Because many viruses have the ability to go dormant (herpes cold sores for instance), viral diseases have the ability to lie latent in your body for decades before being unleashed by STRESS, CHRONIC PAIN, CHRONIC ILLNESS, CHEMICAL EXPOSURE, etc, etc, etc. This is exactly what happens with a disease like shingles. Not surprisingly, one of the "Holy Grails" of VACCINE DEVELOPMENT is the EBV Vaccine.

Writing for the January 2015 issue of Clinical & Translational Immunology (Epstein Barr Virus Vaccines), the author stated, "Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is the primary cause of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and is associated with epithelial cell malignancies such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric carcinoma, as well as lymphoid malignancies including Hodgkin lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. EBV is also associated with autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Primary EBV infection as well as IM is associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis. The mean time between EBV infection and development of multiple sclerosis was estimated to be about 6 years in one study EBV vaccines to prevent primary infection or disease, or therapeutic vaccines to treat EBV malignancies have not been licensed." Why do I mention this?

A 2011 paper by Dr. Arifa S. Khan, writing for the FDA's Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Division (Investigating Viruses in Cells Used to Make Vaccines; and Evaluating the Potential Threat Posed by Transmission of Viruses to Humans) revealed that viral latency in vaccines can be a problem. For example, UCSF's Elswood and Stricker published a study 25 years ago in Medical Hypothesis (Polio Vaccines and the Origin of AIDS) saying, "it is now known that the early polio vaccines were contaminated with at least one monkey virus, SV40. The transfer of monkey viruses to man via contaminated vaccines is particularly relevant to AIDS, since the causative agent of AIDS is thought to be derived from a simian precursor virus. Furthermore, human infection with this virus appears to be a relatively recent event. We hypothesize that the AIDS pandemic may have originated with a contaminated polio vaccine that was administered to inhabitants of Equatorial Africa from 1957 to 1959." I don't even hope to know whether these researchers were / are correct, however the quote below from Dr. Khan's article should send a shiver down everyone's spine

"Virus-based vaccines are made in living cells. Some manufacturers are investigating the use of new cell lines to make vaccines. The continual growth of cell lines ensures that there is a consistent supply of the same cells that can yield high quantities of the vaccine. In some cases the cell lines that are used might be tumorigenic, that is, they form tumors when injected into rodents. Some of these tumor-forming cell lines may contain cancer-causing viruses that are not actively reproducing. Such viruses are hard to detect using standard methods. These latent, or "quiet," viruses pose a potential threat, since they might become active under vaccine manufacturing conditions."

Do we really need yet another vaccine? Those struggling with the aftermath of chronic EBV-related problems would certainly argue that we do. As a huge proponent of GUT HEALTH and the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS, I would dissent --- at least as far as the vaccine being forced on me or my family is concerned (HERE). Big Pharma and our government (which are all too often the same entity) are spending inordinate amounts of time, energy, money, and resources to do everything they can to attack various germs, both viral and bacterial in the form of VACCINES and ANTIBIOTICS (and OTHER DRUGS) instead of promoting real health. Can we trust our government? Let me answer that question with an example.

During the era our government was in the process of telling everyone how bad fat was for their health and likewise either silent on the detriments of sugar and junk carbs or in many cases actively promoting them (HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE are some examples --- remember that THESE ALL FEED INFECTION), their single most prominent form of medical treatment became IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPRESSION. This is a huge deal once you realize that 80% OF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM RESIDES IN YOUR GUT. If you are interested not so much in "BOOSTING" your immune system (clicking the link shows how dangerous this can be), but fine tuning it into a well-oiled disease-fighting machine, HERE are some tools that might prove helpful. If you know people that need to be reached with this message, be sure to show us some love on FACEBOOK.

ASTHMA: AUTOIMMUNE OR INFLAMMATORY?ARE THERE NATURAL WAYS TO STOP IT IN ITS TRACKS?

Anja Osenberg - Pixabay

"Sure enough, Dr. Juhn’s research showed that children and adults with asthma have a much higher risk of developing shingles compared to patients who do not have asthma. These findings were replicated by other research groups. Similarly, adult asthma patients have a higher risk of developing community-acquired E. coli blood infection, rheumatoid arthritis, heart attack and diabetes. Children with asthma have higher risks of developing celiac disease and appendicitis compared to those without asthma. Our data suggest that suboptimal immune responses and rapid waning of adaptive immunity, and risks of pro-inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases presented as asthma-associated comorbidity overlap with the dysfunction of the immune system with aging"Dr. Juhn comparing an asthmatic immune system to the immune system of the elderly in his cherry-picked Mayo Clinic bio

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and, in the latter part of the 20th century, reached epidemic proportions. Asthma represents a dysfunctional interaction with our genes and the environment to which they are exposed, especially in fetal and early infant life. The increasing prevalence of asthma also may be an indication of increased population risk for the development of other chronic non-communicable autoimmune diseases." From the December 2013 issue of Expert Review of Clinical Immunology (Prevention of Asthma: Where are we in the 21st Century?)

The quote above not only shows why EPIGENETICS are far more important than genetics, but shows us that ASTHMA is at least associated with AUTOIMMUNITY, and quite possibly --- even probably in many cases --- an autoimmune disease itself. Incidence of asthma is exploding in Westernized society, with approximately 25 million Americans being afflicted. Although it has historically been included in THIS LIST of diseases known to be caused by inflammation, it's becoming increasingly clear that a significant amount of asthma is in fact autoimmune. One of the biggest tip-offs should be the amount of research implicating INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION (aka "Leaky Gut") in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In my post, "THE LEAKIES," listen to what researchers say are the only two things associated with this hallmark of chronic illnesses, and specifically autoimmunity....

There are two critical points to be made in this paragraph. First is that gliadin is a component of gluten. Gluten is intimately related to autoimmunity because (secondly) regardless of your genetics ("irrespective of genetic expression" --- these are the epigentic factors I told you we would get to), it activates zonulin. What the heck is zonulin? Discovered in Y2K by Dr. Alessio Fasano and his team from the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, zonulin is not only the chief modulator of the tight junctions (increased zonulin breaks the tight junctions and causes the Gut to "leak") --- it's the only known modulator of the tight junctions. And as you just saw, the two primary modulators of zonulin are dysbiotic infections (bacteria, mold, yeast, virus, and other nasty critters) and gluten.

Did you catch that? GLUTEN&DYSBIOSIS are the only two things associated in peer-review with development of leaky barriers (Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Leaky Lung, Leaky Cord, etc --- see last link previous paragraph). We'll spend a bit more time on this shortly, but right now I want to show a brief time line concerning the scientific thought process of asthma as an autoimmune disease. Today's post will also help you understand the why behind YESTERDAY'S ONE PARAGRAPH POST, showing brand new CDC research that those who receive the most healthcare (healthcare workers) have the highest rates of asthma.

THE ASTHMA-AS-AN-AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE TIMELINE

2003: A 2003 issue of the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (Asthma as a Paradigm for Autoimmune Disease) got the ball rolling by saying, "Allergy and autoimmunity result from dysregulation of the immune system. New discoveries suggest possible common pathogenetic effector pathways. The parallel appearance of asthma and autoimmune conditions in the same patients may reveal that such aberrations of the immune system have a common pathophysiologic mechanism." Pay attention because nothing has changed as far as mainstream medical treatment is concerned --- everything is based on IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPRESSION. Think I'm exaggerating? "Immunomodulation is the key to successful treatment of asthma and autoimmune conditions." In 99% of the cases, modulating the immune system implies suppressing the immune system.

2007: A study from University of Washington was published in Science Daily (Connection Between Allergic Diseases And Autoimmune Diseases) revealing that, "Autoimmune disease refers to a group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses including diseases of the nervous, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems as well as skin and other connective tissues, eyes, blood, and blood vessel. In all of these diseases, the underlying problem is similar—the body’s immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect. 'Our study implies that allergic and inflammatory diseases may actually trigger autoimmune diseases.'" The thing to remember here is that while there are probably 80 'well known' autoimmune diseases (HERE is a list), there are thousands upon thousands of autoimmune diseases that are not named simply because no one has figured out what the autoantigen is (the tissue, protein, enzyme, etc being attacked), or likewise how to test for it.

2008: The November issue of Expert Reviews in Clinical Immunology (Asthma and Autoimmunity: A Complex but Intriguing Relation) said this... "Approximately 50% of patients with nonallergic asthma react to intradermal injection of autologous serum... suggesting an autoreactive mechanism. Recent findings in experimental animals support the involvement of an autoreactive mechanism in allergic asthma as well... Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the respiratory airways that can be triggered by allergen exposure or by other mechanisms, possibly autoreactive / autoimmune. The autoimmune hypothesis is further supported by the response to immunosuppressive drugs." Autoimmunity is an immune system raging out of control to the point it starts attacking self.

2010: Two years later, the Annals of Epidemiology (Subsequent Autoimmune or Related Disease in Asthma Patients: Clustering of Diseases or Medical Care?) said this about the relationship; "Asthma includes immunological components that may share mechanisms with autoimmune diseases. Hospitalized asthma patients [just over 4,000 in this study] presented with a number of subsequent autoimmune and related diseases. Although we were unable to exclude the effects of environmental factors, the data suggest that shared genetic factors or gene-environment [epigenetic] interactions may explain coexistence of some of these diseases."

2012: The May issue of the Annals of Medicine (Risk of Asthma and Autoimmune Diseases and Related Conditions in Patients Hospitalized for Obesity) showed how asthma and autoimmunity are related via inflammation (in this case by OBESITY, which is considered inflammatory). That same month, Human Immunology (Immune Responses to Self-Antigens in Asthma Patients: Clinical and Immuno-Pathological Implications) stated, "Asthma leads to chronic airway inflammation that shares pathological features of chronic rejection after lung transplantation. Due to significant role of autoimmunity in rejection, we hypothesized that immunity to self-antigens may also be present in asthma. Asthmatics had higher concentration of antibodies to collagen compared to control. These autoantibodies correlated with severe asthma and corticosteroid use. Additionally, antibodies to novel self-antigens epidermal group factor receptor (EGFr), activin A type 1 receptor, and alpha-catenin (α-catenin) were detected in asthmatics. Epithelial [barrier] damage from airway inflammation during asthma may result in exposure of self-antigens or their determinants resulting in immune response to self-antigens and these may contribute to pathogenesis of asthma." The body making antibodies against itself is never a good thing. Period. Furthermore, when epithelial barriers are compromised, you get "the leakies" (in this case, Leaky Lung). This study shows that this is exactly what's happening in those with asthma. This next bullet reveals why.

2013: The underlying culprit of virtually every chronic inflammatory degenerative disease (of which asthma falls into) is inflammation. What is inflammation? If you are not quite sure (I find about 1 in a thousand who really know), read THIS SHORT POST. Hint; it's not swelling or infection, although it can be related to both. The February issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America showed this in a study titled The Overlap of Bronchiectasis and Immunodeficiency with Asthma (the government's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute defines bronchiectasis as "a condition in which damage to the airways causes them to thicken and become flabby and scarred." In other words, bronchioles start showing FIBROTIC CHANGE / FIBROSIS of the bronchioles. Most of you would be shocked to click the link and see that fibrosis (the medical word for scar tissue) is America's number one cause of death. Control inflammation and you can manage almost any disease. The problem is that we are mostly going about controlling inflammation the wrong way (RED INK EXAMPLE).

2014: More of the same rubber (inflammation) meeting the road, with an amazing study in the July issue of Cell Microbiology (Defining Dysbiosis and its Influence on Host Immunity and Disease). "Mammalian immune system development depends on instruction from resident commensal microorganisms. Diseases associated with abnormal immune responses towards environmental and self antigens have been rapidly increasing over the last 50 years. These diseases include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), type I diabetes (T1D), allergies and asthma. The observation that people with immune mediated diseases house a different microbial community when compared to healthy individuals suggests that pathogenesis arises from improper training of the immune system by the microbiota." This is a mouthful, but can be easily broken down by realizing that your MICROBIOME is everything, and that furthermore your Immune System is actually "trained" (their word) by the commensal organisms in and on your body (HERE). This is a great example of the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS in action. "Thus, perturbations to the structure of complex commensal communities (referred to as dysbiosis) can lead to deficient education of the host immune system and subsequent development of immune mediated diseases." The more healthcare one is exposed to (vaccines, antibiotics, medications of all sorts, etc, etc) the worse off your microbiome. A poor micribiome means that your immune system will be trained in an ineffective manner. This means you start trading acute infectious diseases for chronic diseases like CANCER.

2015: The June issue of the Journal of Immunology (GIMAP GTPase Family Genes: Potential Modifiers in Autoimmune Diabetes, Asthma, and Allergy) showed yet another complex immunological link with autoantigens found in asthma.

2016: Another similar study from October's issue of Respiratory Research (Perip7lakin is a Target for Autoimmunity in Asthma) discussed yet another of these antigenic molecules. "The role of autoimmunity targeting epithelial antigens in asthma has been suggested, in particular in non-atopic and severe asthma. Periplakin, a desmosomal component, is involved in epithelial cohesion and intracellular signaling. We detected anti-periplakin antibodies in 18% of patients with asthma." In this case, not only is the body attacking itself, it's actually attacking the tissue (epithelium) that make up the body's barrier systems. Can anyone say "leaky"?

2017: Although asthma and allergies are typically associated with Mast Cells (which release histamine), another type of immune system cell (eosinophils) took center stage in 2017. July's copy of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Sputum Autoantibodies in Patients with Severe Eosinophilic Asthma) "identifies an autoimmune endotype of severe asthma that can be identified by the presence of sputum autoantibodies against EPX and autologous cellular components." April's issue of Allergology International (Autoantibody Profiles and their Association with Blood Eosinophils in Asthma and COPD) dealt with autoimmunity in COPD, concluding that "It is possible that asthma tends to involve autoimmunity associated with antinuclear antibody more frequently than COPD because asthma is the more robust factor for antinuclear antibody positivity. Antinuclear antibody and rheumatoid factor are associated with eosinophilic responses." For the record, although it's not always accurate, the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is the most commonly used test to determine non-specific autoimmunity. And finally, in April, Frontiers in Immunology published Eosinophils in Autoimmune Diseases, which concluded that, "The association of eosinophilic diseases with autoimmune diseases was also examined, showing a possible increase in autoimmune diseases in patients with... non-allergic asthma."

2018: Speaking of Mast Cells, last month's issue of Immunology Review (Mast Cells as Sources of Cytokines, Chemokines, and Growth Factors) talked about CYTOKINES and other inflammatory mediators as related to Mast Cells and the immune system. "There is strong evidence for important non-redundant roles of mast cells in many types of innate or adaptive immune responses, including making important contributions to immediate and chronic IgE-associated allergic disorders and enhancing host resistance to certain venoms and parasites. However, mast cells have been proposed to influence many other biological processes" Great stuff until inflammation causes the immune system to lose immunological control. The all too common result is a ramped up immune response, telling the body to start attacking itself. Because autoimmunity is never a problem with the organ or tissue being attacked, but a problem with the immune system itself; unless you deal with underlying causes, autoimmune diseases usually end up like Lays Potato Chips... You can't have just one --- they virtually always travel in packs, like wolves (HERE).

COMMON CHEMICALS / DRUGS AND THE AUTISM / ASTHMA CONNECTION

Because autoimmunity is found much more commonly in women than men (about 3 to 1), a 2005 study asked whether or not mom's developing autoimmunity around the time of her pregnancy could result in AUTISM (ASD --- autism spectrum disorder) in her progeny. A 2005 issue of JAMA Pediatrics (Maternal Autoimmune Diseases, Asthma and Allergies, and Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders) revealed that "A greater than 2-fold elevated risk of ASD was observed for maternal asthma and allergy diagnoses recorded during the second trimester of pregnancy." What's the relationship? Besides the obvious (inflammation), there is an increasing body of research showing that autism itself is actually autoimmune.

Cal State Davis has been leading the pack with this regard, publishing their first major study on the topic back in the August 2007 issue of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Autoantibodies in Autism Spectrum Disorders --- ASD). Their paper dealt with, "recent studies performed by our group concerning the presence of autoantibodies directed against neural antigens, which are observed in patients with ASD." This was not new information when it came out in 07, because a 2003 issue of the journal Pediatrics (Increased Prevalence of Familial Autoimmunity in Probands with Pervasive Developmental Disorders) revealed that "Autoimmunity was increased significantly in families with pervasive developmental disorders compared with those of healthy and autoimmune control subjects." How significantly? Try 40% on for size.

With the known relationship between VACCINES and both autoimmunity & autism, it would behoove those individuals who are known to be autoimmune of have autoimmunity in their immediate family to think twice about most vaccinations. This argument becomes even more convincing once you begin to understand the role of VACCINE ADJUVANTS, MERCURY & ALUMINUM. Because we know for certain that autism is driven by inflammation (which by the way, is not always the result of vaccines --- HERE), it behooves us to understand the link. Listen to this cherry-picked paragraph from Moises Velasquez-Manoff from an August issue of the New York Times(An Immune Disorder at the Root of Autism)

"Better clues to the causes of the autism phenomenon come from parallel 'epidemics.' The prevalence of inflammatory diseases in general has increased significantly in the past 60 years. As a group, they include asthma, now estimated to affect 1 in 10 children — at least double the prevalence of 1980 — and autoimmune disorders, which afflict 1 in 20. Both are linked to autism, especially in the mother. One large Danish study, which included nearly 700,000 births over a decade, found that a mother’s rheumatoid arthritis elevated a child’s risk of autism by 80 percent. Her celiac disease increased it 350 percent. Genetic studies tell a similar tale. Gene variants associated with autoimmune disease — genes of the immune system — also increase the risk of autism, especially when they occur in the mother. In some cases, scientists even see a misguided immune response in action. Mothers of autistic children often have unique antibodies that bind to fetal brain proteins. A few years back, scientists at the MIND Institute, a research center for neurodevelopmental disorders at the University of California, Davis, injected these antibodies into pregnant macaques. (Control animals got antibodies from mothers of typical children.) Animals whose mothers received “autistic” antibodies displayed repetitive behavior. They had trouble socializing with others in the troop. In this model, autism results from an attack on the developing fetus."

Peer-review is replete with more of the same. If this topic is of interest to you I would strongly suggest you read Dr. Kevin Becker's study from a 2007 edition of Medical Hypothesis called Autism, Asthma, Inflammation, and the Hygiene Hypothesis (his paper is a comparison of the "parallel aspects of autism and inflammatory disorders with an emphasis on asthma."). I would also suggest you take a gander at the post I published just one short month ago called Autism Linked to Antibiotic / Acetaminophen / Glyphosate Combination (HERE). We'll get to the antibiotic / Gut Health / althma link momentarily, but first we are going to discuss....

GLUTEN AS RELATED TO ASTHMA

If you've followed my site, you already know that GLUTEN(a protein found in wheat) is heavily linked to autoimmunity (HERE); a relationship which has been known for almost a century (HERE). Thus, with a great deal of asthma being autoimmune, knowing a bit more about this relationship will prove invaluable as you go about healing the Gut and toning down a raging immune system ---- NOT "BOOSTING" IT. One of the first things you must understand is that the majority of the symptoms of NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY are mostly extra-intestinal, meaning they will not manifest as bloating, gas, etc (MOST ARE NEUROLOGICAL, but they can manifest in almost any conceivable manner). For the record, there were scores of studies on both "Occupational Asthma" and "Baker's Asthma," neither of which we are covering here.

You must realize that when you see the word "allergies" (whether in the title of a journal or in the text of a study), in most instances you can substitute the word "asthma" and still be accurate. A 2011 study from the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (Occurrence of Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity in Patients with Allergic Disease) concluded that "A nonceliac gluten-sensitive enteropathy (NCGSE) commonly occurs in allergic patients. Based on the high prevalence of NCGSE in allergy, it is recommended that biopsy should be part of the routine investigation of allergic disease to offer the benefits of treatment with a GFD to the patients" A biopsy is a ridiculous amount of overkill in this case, even though it is the "gold standard" for diagnosing CELIAC DISEASE. Simply do an ELIMINATION DIET to rule out gluten as a problem. Just make sure to click the link so you understand that ALL GRAINS (not to mention about 30 other foods) can act like (they are known as gluten cross-reactors). Failing to understand this simple fact helps explain why some people claim that going off gluten did nothing for them, even though there is an obvious connection --- not to mention the fact that most of the GLUTEN FREE FOODS they've been eating are high glycemic processed crap anyway.

We are now going to start seeing the bleed-over into the next chapter of this post; Gut Health. A July 2015 study from the European Respiratory Journal (Coeliac Disease and Asthma Association in Children: The Role of Antibiotic Consumption) came to conclusions that I've been talking about for a long time, and that we will continue to talk about in the next chapter --- that antibiotics are strongly linked to asthma. Now it seems that they are strongly linked to both asthma and Celiac Disease. "Childhood treated asthma and coeliac disease are significantly associated." Just realize that NCGS is far more common than Celiac Disease (I would guess an order of magnitude). The link in the previous paragraph will explain the difference between the two.

Several months later, the journal Pediatric Clinics of North America published another bleed-over "Gut Hygiene" study called Gut Microbiome and the Development of Food Allergy and Allergic Disease in which they concluded,

"The prevalence of food allergy and other allergic diseases continues to rise within the industrialized world... The impact of gut microbiome on human development, nutritional needs, and disease has become evident with advances in our ability to study these complex communities of microorganisms, and there is a growing appreciation for the role of the microbiome in immune regulation. Several studies have examined associations between changes in the commensal microbiota and the development of allergic rhinitis and asthma.... The authors found that children living in farming environments had a significantly decreased frequency of hay fever, asthma and eczema compared to children living in urban areas. Other studies have shown an association between Caesarean-section delivery and the development of asthma, allergic rhinitis [hay fever], and eczema."

And while this study went on to talk extensively about the relationship of early antibiotics (among other things, they said that 1/3 of laboring women are given antibiotics against Strep) and diet on one's microbiome, it also happens to provide the perfect lead in for our next section.

THE GUT HEALTH / ASTHMA LINK

I've been writing about GUT HEALTH for a very long time, but the truth is, since at least the late 1800's, natural healers have been saying "heal the gut, heal the body". Today I am going to show you that this is not just true for almost any health issue you care to plug in to the equation (I could have written today's post using any number of diseases other than asthma, and it would have still looked quite similar), but is doubly true for autoimmune diseases in general, and truer still for asthma.

The first thing I want to say is that when we talk about Gut Health we are talking about two sides of the same coin --- dysbiosis (abnormal species or ratios of species of bacteria, YEAST, VIRUS, or other organisms) and Leaky Gut, which we talked about earlier. These are ugly twins --- where you find one, you'll usually find the other. Considering 80% of your immune system is found in the Gut (HERE), this relationship makes a ton of sense. The proverbial icing on the cake is that even though the process of degrading Gut Health is almost always caused by ANTIBIOTICS (even though MOST DRUGS have antibiotic properties), the resultant dysbiosis is fed by LIVING THE HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE. In other words, sugar and highly processed or high glycemic carbs (carbs that break down to BLOOD SUGAR rapidly) are infection's food of choice (HERE). And what is dysbiosis if it's not a low grade infection?

One thing you need to understand about this phenomenon is that the physiology is universal. Case in point, a study from Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practices (The Microbiota Regulates Immunity and Immunologic Diseases in Dogs and Cats) showed why DOGS & DIRT are not just important for our microbiomes, but that animal's microbiomes control their health as well. "The complex commensal microbiota found on body surfaces controls immune responses and the development of allergic and inflammatory diseases. Changes in the microbiota (dysbiosis) as a result of antibiotic use, diet, or other factors thus influence the development of many diseases in the dog and cat. The most important of these include chronic gastrointestinal disease; respiratory allergies, such as asthma; skin diseases, especially atopic dermatitis; and autoimmune diseases."

Think Leaky Gut is a farce just because YOUR DOCTOR DOESN'T BELIEVE IN IT? The month before I got married (February of 1996), the Journal of Allergy and Immunology published a study called (gulp) Allergies and Asthma: Do Atopic Disorders Result from Inadequate Immune Homeostasis Arising from Infant Gut Dysbiosis? They answered their own question affirmatively. "There was no significant difference in intestinal permeability between patients with allergic asthma and those with nonallergic asthma." In other words, both groups were equally "leaky" ("Our results support the hypothesis that a general defect of the whole mucosal system [epithelial barrier system] is present as a cause or a consequence of bronchial asthma").

In 2005, Chinese researchers published a study called Tight Junctions, Leaky Intestines, and Pediatric Diseases in the journal Acta Paediatrica in which they concluded.... "Tight junctions (TJs) represent the major barrier within the paracellular pathway between intestinal epithelial cells. Disruption of TJs leads to intestinal hyperpermeability (the so-called "leakygut") and is implicated in the pathogenesis of several acute and chronic pediatric disease entities that are likely to have their origin during infancy. This review provides an overview of evidence for the role of TJ breakdown in diseases such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, allergies, asthma, and autism. A better basic understanding of this structure might lead to prevention or treatment of these diseases using nutritional or other means." Did you catch that? Screwed up gut permeability can be successfully addressed with diet. This is a big deal because there are zero drugs that address this problem. If you are interested, you can look at a picture of this process in action under my link on "The Leakies".

HOMEOSTASIS describes your body's ability to maintain itself in perfect balance and harmony. In studying physiology, everything is about maintaining proper homeostasis. Lose it and you get sick. The April 2016 issue of Expert Reviews in Clinical Immunology discussed this problem in a study called Allergies and Asthma: Do Atopic Disorders Result from Inadequate Immune Homeostasis arising from Infant Gut Dysbiosis? Of course it does, with the two biggest factors being crappy diets and early exposure of either mom or baby to antibiotics. "We propose that the failure to appropriately down-regulate inflammation and produce a toleragenic state results primarily from less robust immune homeostatic processes rather than from a tendency to over-respond to allergenic stimuli." What is autoimmunity? It's a state of having a "BOOSTED" IMMUNE SYSTEM.

A 2014 French study from Respiratory Research (Food Allergy Enhances Allergic Asthma in Mice) showed that this problem is not static, but progressive and degenerative. The fourteen authors from various Universities across France stated, "Atopic march refers to the typical transition from a food allergy in early childhood to allergic asthma in older children and adults" After artifically inducing allergies to ovalbumin and house dust mites in mice, the authors challenged the mice's systems by exposing them to both. "OVA-mediated gut allergy was associated with an increase in jejunum permeability [Leaky Small Intestine], and a worsening of mite-induced asthma with stronger airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary cell infiltration, notably eosinophils." There was actually much more than this that I did not include.

Also in 2014, the journal Clinical and Investigative Medicine published High Prevalence of Abnormal Gastrointestinal Permeability in Moderate-Severe Asthma, which related asthma to Leaky Gut as well. After saying that, "Abnormal gastrointestinal permeability (GIP) has been implicated in a number of diseases, including chronic intestinal inflammatory disorders such as Crohn's as well as non-intestinal immunologic diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis," researchers concluded that a Leaky Gut "could be involved with the development and propagation of asthma...." Still another study from 2014 (Low Gut Microbiota Diversity in Early Infancy Precedes Asthma at School Age from the June issue of Clinical and Experimental Allergy) concluded that "Low total diversity of the gut microbiota during the first month of life was associated with asthma at 7 years of age." Why would a baby have low bacterial diversity by one month? I can think of three right off the top of my head; antibiotics, PPI's (heartburn drugs), C-SECTION, or FAILING TO BREASTFEED.

2015's study (The Microbiome in Asthma) from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology used new technologies to explore the microbiomes of those with asthma as compared to healthy controls. Although you might guess what's coming, the study talked at length about the intimate relationship between dybiosis and the propensity to develop asthma. Another study from 2015 from Science Translational Medicine (Early Infancy Microbial and Metabolic Alterations Affect Risk of Childhood Asthma). "Asthma is the most prevalent pediatric chronic disease and affects more than 300 million people worldwide. We compared the gut microbiota of subjects enrolled in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study, and show that infants at risk of asthma exhibited transient gut microbial dysbiosis during the first 100 days of life. The relative abundance of the bacterial genera Lachnospira, Veillonella, Faecalibacterium, and Rothia was significantly decreased in children at risk of asthma." Here is where you get to see the beauty of Fecal Microbiota Transplants (FMT). When the authors put the missing bacterial species back into these mice, it "ameliorated airway inflammation" in their offspring. In other words, not only does FMT (microbiome) have the potential to affect the here and now, it has the potential to affect the next generation!

Twenty two researchers from the land down under teamed up for a study published in last June's issue of Nature Communications called Evidence that Asthma is a Developmental Origin Disease Influenced by Maternal Diet and Bacterial Metabolites that concluded "diet acting on the gut microbiota profoundly influences airway responses, and may represent an approach to prevent asthma, including during pregnancy." That same year, Microbial Diversity in Health and Disease published a study called Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota in Disease which stated, "There is growing evidence that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of both intestinal and extra-intestinal disorders. Intestinal disorders include inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and coeliac disease, while extra-intestinal disorders include allergy, asthma, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and obesity."

A study from December was published in the journal Current Opinions in Pediatrics (The Microbiome in Asthma) that stated, "The continuous rise in asthma incidence in industrialized societies cannot be attributed to genetic factors alone and implies that some environmental factors resulting from the modern lifestyle promotes asthma. The 'hygiene hypothesis' states that personal hygiene improvement, declining family size and decreased infection burden result in reduced early-life microbial exposure and promotion of atopic diseases." In other words, increasing numbers of scientists believe that we are trading acute childhood diseases that everyone used to get, for long-term chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases, including autoimmunity. The culprits in having a "decreased infection burden"? That's easy; antibiotics and vaccines, including the utterly ridiculous FLU SHOT.

Follow along as I give you a few highlights from other studies. Just be aware that there is so much evidence supporting the Gut Health / Asthma link that I could have just as easily written a book.

"Multiple studies have demonstrated airway microbiota dysbiosis, characterized by Proteobacteria expansion in the lower airways, to be a consistent trait of established adult asthma."July 2015, Current Opinions in Rheumatology (Influence and Effect of the Human Microbiome in Allergy and Asthma)

"Dysbiosis of the microbial communities colonizing the human intestinal tract has been described for a variety of chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and asthma. Investigators have shown that the microbial composition of the airway flora is different between healthy lungs and those with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as cystic fibrosis... Should future studies provide such evidence, the airway microbiota might soon join the intestinal microbiota as a target for therapeutic intervention."January 2014, Pharmacology & Therapeutics (Microbiota Abnormalities in Inflammatory Airway Diseases...)

"Asthma prevalence has doubled in developed countries during the past 30 years. After adjustment, prenatal antibiotic use was a risk factor for asthma."The December 2014 issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (Relationship Between Prenatal Antibiotic Use and Asthma in At-Risk Children)

"Evidence on the association between post-natal exposure to antibiotics and the development of asthma is extensive... Maternal use of any antibiotics during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of asthma in the offspring. Several maternal specific antibiotics were associated with the risk of asthma, and the strongest association was observed for cephalosporins. Child's use of antibiotics during the first year of life was associated with an increased risk of asthma. Child's use of cephalosporins, sulphonamides and trimethoprim, macrolides and amoxicillin was associated with an increased risk of asthma. Both prenatal and post-natal exposure to antibiotics was associated with an increased risk of asthma."January 1015, Clinical and Experimental Allergy (Prenatal and Post-Natal Exposure to Antibiotics and Risk of Asthma in Childhood)

"We found increased risk of asthma associated with maternal antibiotic use in a clinical study of a birth cohort with increased risk of asthma and replicated this finding in an unselected national birth cohort, and in a subgroup using antibiotics for nonrespiratory infections. This supports a role for bacterial ecology in pre- or perinatal life for the development of asthma."The April 2013 of the Journal of Pediatrics (Use of Antibiotics During Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Asthma in Early Childhood)

ASTHMA....?WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW THAT YOU KNOW?

A scientific article by Megan Scudellari in a 2017 issue of PNAS (Cleaning Up the Hygiene Hypothesis) indicated that the Hygiene Hypothesis as understood by most people is incorrect. Her belief is that most people interpret the message simply as the population being "too clean". While this is a part of the HH, it goes beyond that. Way beyond that. She went on to mention every single thing I've talked about in this paper as culprits; vaccines, antibiotics, antimicrobial hand sanitizers, cruddy diets, not being exposed to PARASITES and bacteria from an early age, C-sections, etc, etc. Call it what you want, there is no arguing with the consequences (see YESTERDAY'S POST ON ASTHMA).

Rates of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are literally exploding in Western nations, and most particularly, the middle and upper class urban portions of those societies. It's a message that's being echoed by scientists around the world. Researchers from London's King's College wrote in a 2007 issue of Biologics (Dishing the Dirt on Asthma: What we can Learn from Poor Hygiene), "Many aspects of modern living may contribute to this increase in asthma including, smaller family size, more urban living including a lower exposure to farm livestock, increasing vaccination and a more hygienic lifestyle." Take a look at what Amy Shah (MD) wrote about this study's statistics in a 2014 article for MindBodyGreen (Why Allergies & Autoimmune Diseases Are Skyrocketing).

"As just a couple examples of the prevalence of these issues, asthma affects nearly 37% of children in the United Kingdom, and type 1 diabetes rates have increased 23% over an eight-year period."

And here's the rub. Instead of using the peer-review I've just shown you in today's post to formulate better care plans, we have a medical system that continues to live in the past, passing out antibiotics out like candy (KNOWING DARN GOOD AND WELL THEY CAUSE ASTHMA). Oh; I almost forgot to mention that there are currently OVER 300 NEW VACCINES IN R&D. It's madness, and proof positive that the gap between medical practice and medical research continues to widen, making the Grand Canyon look like a rut in a gravel driveway. In other words, calling what's going on a "disconnect" does not come close to explaining how bad things really are. But hey, it's the nature of modern EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE. What could our modern medical community be doing to at actually address some of the asthma epidemic's underlying causes?

The first thing that must be understood is that the "healthcare" trajectory we are currently on is not only UNSUSTAINABLE, but is actually causing a significant portion of the problem. Case in point are the drugs used to treat asthma. People must wake up to the fact that asthma inhalers are so dangerous that studies have shown they are responsible for a large portion of the asthma-related deaths (HERE --- don't get mad at me, I'm just the messenger). Furthermore, if there is a commonly used drug with more and worse side effects than CORTICOSTEROIDS, I'm not exactly sure what it is. If you'll simply read between the lines, the scientific research is replete with solutions.

Case in point a pair of studies by the same team of Harvard researchers from BMJ Thorax (Maternal Diet vs Lack of Exposure to Sunlight as the Cause of the Epidemic of Asthma, Allergies and other Autoimmune Diseases) and the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine (Vitamin D, the Gut Microbiome, and the Hygiene Hypothesis. How Does Asthma Begin?) that were written 8 years apart --- 2007 and 2015.

"In our view, the fundamental culprit for the asthma epidemic—and for the epidemic of all autoimmune diseases (Th1 and Th2)—is vitamin D deficiency due to a decrease in sun exposure which can probably be remedied only by supplementation of pregnant women. However, in their most recent paper published in this issue of Thorax, Willers and coworkers report the importance of a decline in the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and perhaps oily fish consumption with regard to asthma, and it seems plausible that maternal dietary deficiencies of vitamin E are contributing to the epidemic of autoimmune disease as well"

If you are not sure what TH1 VS TH2 is, just click the link. The bottom line is that this is nothing more than the same things we've known forever, that healthy foods and the great outdoors will "cure" a lot of problems. Did the same authors have anything different to say almost a decade later? Not really. After rehashing the Hygiene Hypothesis, they talked a bit about Vitamin D.

"Finally, we have written extensively about vitamin D, which we believe is a critical link between the human gut microbiome and the developing fetal lung and immune system. First, vitamin D deficiency is recognized worldwide, and there are data indicating that levels have decreased over time, coincident with the rise in autoimmunity and asthma. Next, vitamin D has effects on the developing lung, and we have shown that vitamin D-related developmental genes are up-regulated in early lung development and that these same genes are linked to asthma. Third, vitamin D has effects on a variety of immune processes and cells that are critical to normal immune functioning. Finally, vitamin D is critical to the function of the gut microbiome. It controls the development of gut-associated lymphoid tissue, trafficking between gut dendritic cells, and gut Tregs and Treg function. Further study of how vitamin D influences the developing immune system is urgently needed."

Let's be real with each other for a moment --- how tough is it to take liquid Vitamin D drops and get in the sunshine more often? But these aren't the only things you could be doing to "TRAIN YOUR TREGS".

PARASITE SOUP: Chinese researchers published a study in November's issue of Frontiers in Microbiology (Parasite-Derived Proteins for the Treatment of Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases) concluding, "Some parasite-derived immune-evasion molecules have been verified to reduce the incidence and harmfulness of atopic diseases in humans by modulating the immune response. More importantly, some parasite-derived products have been shown to inhibit the progression of inflammatory diseases and consequently alleviate their symptoms. Thus, parasites, and especially their products, may have potential applications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases." This isn't a surprise considering scientists have been "curing" severe cases of INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE by purposefully infecting sufferers with HELMINTHS (worms).

BACTERIAL SOUP: A 2011 study by Harvard's Scott Weiss was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Bacterial Components Plus Vitamin D: The Ultimate Solution to the Asthma (Autoimmune Disease) Epidemic?). "The gut microbiome is overwhelming in its size and its metabolic and antigenic complexity. There are 1014 bacteria in the gut, or 10 times more microbes in the human colon than there are cells in the human body. These bacteria belong to over 1000 species and have 3.3 million genes, over 150 times more genes than our own genome. Culture alone is inadequate to identify the mostly anaerobic organisms of the gut, and bacterial sequencing must be used, in conjunction with culture, to definitively speciate, and hence identify, all of these organisms. These bacteria interact with the host in a variety of ways." Weiss goes on to talk at length about probiotics and Vitamin D. The problem is that as he mentioned, the microbiome is so huge and contains (or at least should contain) hundreds of bacterial species, it's difficult to measure and impossible to reproduce with probiotics. This is why I've said that for many chronically ill people, FMT IS FAR SUPERIOR TO PROBIOTICS. BTW, the point with these first two bullets is not that we want you drinking these concoctions, it's to show you how important and powerful the HH is.

FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANT: Speaking of FMT, prior to mentioning the procedure as a viable option for asthmatics, the January 2014 issue of Pharmacology & Therapeutics (Microbiota Abnormalities in Inflammatory Airway Diseases - Potential for Therapy) said this. "Dysbiosis of the microbial communities colonizing the human intestinal tract has been described for a variety of chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and asthma. In particular, reduction of several so-called probiotic species that are generally considered to be beneficial, as well as an outgrowth of potentially pathogenic bacteria is often reported. A twist to this scenario is the recent discovery that the respiratory tract also harbors a microbiota under steady-state conditions. Investigators have shown that the microbial composition of the airway flora is different between healthy lungs and those with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as well as cystic fibrosis." Be aware that I am not suggesting you do an FMT on your own, but am simply providing some cool information --- very cool information.

BREAST FEEDING: While most of my readers would consider this a no-brainer, this past January, the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology published a study called Breastfeeding and Autoimmunity: Programing Health from the Beginning, in which they spelled out those things DR. ROBERT MENDELSOHN was telling his patients decades ago in How to Raise A Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor. While the authors did say that breastfeeding has the potential to flare up a mother who is already autoimmune, they also said that "Being breastfed was associated with a lower incidence of diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis and asthma, explained by the protection against early infections, anti-inflammatory properties, antigen-specific tolerance induction, and regulation of infant's microbiome."

REALLY STUDY THE VACCINE ISSUE: I've shown you repeatedly that speaking out about vaccines and their relationship to autoimmunity as a scientist is often a death sentence to one's career (HERE), and at the very least will get you censured. This means that much of the so called "EVIDENCE" (especially the evidence supporting certain drugs) must be taken with a grain of salt. And while numerous researchers mentionedVACCINES when discussing the HH, it was extremely rare that there was any real discussion. It's the true definition of a "sacred cow". The interesting thing is that our own government has shown that vaccinations have not improved mortality rates. Think I'm making that up? Take a look at THIS GRAPH that was put out by the CDC as proof. Bottom line, vaccines are not all they've been touted to be, and because they purposefully cause neuro-inflammation via ADJUVANTS (aluminum is considered the universal adjuvant), many kids never really have a chance --- their brain's are affected from day one and then assaulted on a regular basis throughout their lifetimes. I already realize that many will write me off as a crackpot because of this bullet point. In the famous words of Clark Gable's Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind, Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

EAT REAL FOOD: There are things that are rocket science and things are simple. While it may be tough at times to follow through in practice, the idea that you are what you eat is simple. And even though few doctors discuss it's importance today (HERE), what could be more important to the health of your child than what you feed them day in and day out? And please don't tell me that all they'll eat is chocolate cake and Cheetos (HERE). Two studies, the first from the May 2016 issue of Clinical & Translational Immunology (Dietary Metabolites and the Gut Microbiota: An Alternative Approach to Control Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases), and the second from last July's Immunological Reviews (The Nutrition-Gut Microbiome-Physiology Axis and Allergic Diseases) drove home this message. "The modern 'Western diet' has changed in recent years... It is now convincingly clear that diet is one of the most influential lifestyle factors contributing to the rise of inflammatory diseases and autoimmunity in both developed and developing countries." If you feel you must, read the studies. But honestly, you already have a pretty good idea of what they say. The diet I recommend for dealing with chronic health issues? Unless there are specific reasons you need to be on a KETOGENIC DIET, I almost always recommend something along the lines of PALEO or the myriad of differently-named similar.

GET ADJUSTED: I can't begin to tell you how many KIDS (AND ADULTS) I've successfully been able to help with asthma via adjustments. What can I say; it's the power of the nervous and immune systems unleashed! The problem is that many of you reading this want to live your same self-destructive lifestyles, while getting yourself or your kids adjusted in hopes of "curing" the asthma. Thanks to our increasingly toxic lifestyles, it doesn't work that way nearly as often as it used to (HERE).

While there are any number of others (HERE'S MY CLINIC'S GENERAL PROTOCOL for people dealing with chronic conditions), the foundation is fairly simple and straightforward. With such a huge percentage of the population struggling with asthma, everyone knows someone, individuals or families, who could benefit from this information. The easiest way to reach them, along with those you love and care about most, is by liking, sharing, or following on FACEBOOK!

Because it runs so rampant on the Schierling side of my family, today's post pertains to information that's more than just 'information' --- it hits close to home. Today I am showing you some recent studies on PARKINSON'S as it relates to GUT HEALTH. Truthfully, however, I could do the same thing with almost any AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE you choose. Although many of you know that for decades --- many would argue centuries --- natural healers have been solving all manner of health issues via restoring Gut Health, a study from the October 2017 issue of Medical Hypotheses (The Colon Revisited: The Key to Wellness, Health and Disease) proves just how important this concept really is. Pay attention because even though the following quote is slightly cherry-picked from the study's abstract (most are for the sake of time and space), it will nonetheless rock your world.

"The hypothesis being advanced in this paper is that there is a new medical paradigm emerging from the biomedical research carried out in this century... The main idea is that there is a common pathway from wellbeing and health to chronic disease and even to death, which comprises the following steps:

1) unhealthy diet, sedentary life style and permanent exposition to xenobiotics [chemicals] and all kinds of noxious stimuli2) intestinal dysbiosis3) alteration of the intestinal mucus layer (especially that of the colon)4) disruption of the endothelial tight junctions [3,4, and 5 all pertain to leaky gut / increased intestinal permeability]5) metabolic endotoxemia+bacterial translocation6) inflammation7) exacerbation of the enteric nervous system (ENS) and consequent maladaptation and malfunctioning of the colon8) epigenetic manifestations9) premature death.

In order to maintain a good health or to improve or even reverse chronic diseases in a person, the main outcome to look for is a homeostatic balance of the intestinal microbiota (eubiosis), most of which is located in the colon. The following facts about intestinal microbiota are nowadays generally accepted: there are about 10 times more bacteria in the gut than human cells in every human being; the microbioma is about 100-150 times bigger that the human genome, and there is a clear link between intestinal microbiota and many of the most common chronic diseases, from obesity and diabetes to depression and Parkinson disease and different kinds of cancer. The main implication of this theory is that we should become a sort of microbiota farmers, that is, we ought to be more conscious of our intestinal microbiota, take care of it and monitor it permanently. Thus, as part of our good life habits (healthy eating, physical exercise), we should probably undergo periodic seasons of fasting and colon cleansing, as it was common in older times."

"Microbiota farmers"! Let me paint you a picture of what I looked like after reading this. I was staring at the screen, with my mouth agape in drop-jawed wonder. Reading a medical study by five mainstream researchers about the consequences of a LOSS OF GUT HOMEOSTASIS was nothing short of amazing! I felt vindicated. Mostly because one short month before this study was published, I gave my readers THIS POST (The Gut / Microbiota / Brain Axis: Most Disease States are Different Manifestations of the Same Underlying Dysfunctions), after coming to similar conclusions myself.

Here's what's so cool about knowing that most disease has a "common cause". If underlying causes of all disease states really are this similar, then solutions should likewise be similar. They are, and it is! That's why this information is so valuable to you whether you have Parkinson's or Dippsy-Doodleitis --- or for that matter, have not (yet) been diagnosed with any disease. Whatever you are doing medically / pharmaceutically; you are going to follow a SIMILAR PROTOCOL as far as addressing the DIY side of your chronic illnesses is concerned. Honestly, if we ended this post here, you would have already gotten way more than your money's worth. But since we're just getting started, strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.

Let me first show you the early stages of autoimmunity --- the two sides of Gut Dysfunction; LEAKY GUT SYNDROME & DYSBIOSIS. In the first, the "tight junctions" between the cells that make up the Gut's lining (epithelial barrier) become 'loose,' allowing nasty things into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there (PARASITES, partially digested food fragments, bacteria, FUNGUS, etc, etc). When this happens the Gut is said to be "leaky," which the medical community refers to as 'intestinal barrier hyper-permeability' or something similar. The second side of the coin refers to an imbalance in the Gut's natural flora (MICROBIOME), which is known as "Dysbiosis". Be aware that this is a chicken / egg situation, meaning that either one can occur first, leading to the other. In May of last year a dozen researchers from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center showed this process in action via a study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease (The Potential Role of Gut-Derived Inflammation in Multiple System Atrophy).

This is where it's at folks, and is true of almost all Autoimmune Diseases, as well as MSA (Multiple System Atrophy). What is Multiple System Atrophy you ask? Characterized by the same tremors, slow movements, rigid muscles, and postural instability as Parkinson's Disease, MSA tends to have more ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) symptoms --- in most cases, those of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE (click the link for some hints on how to tone down SD), although it can be parasympathetic. Follow along as I take you through a number of studies, none published earlier than 2017, in no particular order.

In April of last year, twenty Russian researchers published a study (Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Parkinson's Disease) in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, saying that "The human body is now viewed in the context of its symbiotic relationships to microbiota, an ensemble of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, and archaea colonizing all body biotopes (skin, gastrointestinal tract, airways, and urogenital system). Growing evidence appears on the potential role of microbiota in the pathogenesis of human diseases, in particular nervous system disorders. Microbiota is as an important part of the body. On one hand, its content is partly stipulated by human genotype and regulated by immune mechanism, on the other, it depends on environmental conditions including nutrition and ecological situation in the habitat." In English, this means that even though you might carry the genes for who-knows-what, it's the "environment" (habitat, diet, exposure to CHEMICALS and POLLUTANTS, rejection, jealousy, hatred, etc, etc) that turn the genes on and causes them to express various disease states). This is known as EPIGENETICS and is more important than genetics --- far more important.

In May of last year, the journal Parkonsinism and Related Disorders (Gut Microbiota: Implications in Parkinson's Disease) came to a number of interesting conclusions as well. Listen to these sentences strung together from throughout the study. "80% of PD patients suffer from constipation. Additionally, PD constipation is associated with α-synuclein accumulation and neuro-degeneration in the enteric nervous system, with increased local inflammation, oxidative stress, and intestinal permeability. The prevalence of H. Pylori infection is high among PD patients and causes motor impairments by hindering the absorption of levodopa, a primary drug for PD management. Similarly, SIBO has been associated with PD too. SIBO affects nearly one-quarter of PD patients and was associated with motor impairments." OXIDATIVE STRESS is super common in autoimmunity along with GUT INFLAMMATION. The authors went on to talk about treatment methods, having sections on ANTIBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, and even my favorite; FMT (FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTS). The problem with antibiotics is that they are arguably the biggest cause of dysbiosis to begin with, and as for probiotics, click the link to see why they are not always what they are cracked up to be. Interestingly, these authors also linked INFECTIONS other than what I mentioned (H. PYLORI) to PD.

In November of last year, the European Journal of Neurology (More Than Constipation: Bowel Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease and Their Connection to Gut Microbiota) said that, "The majority of Parkinson's disease patients suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms of which constipation is considered the most prominent. Recently, in addition to constipation, a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was also found to be associated with increased PD risk. Gut microbiota alterations have been reported in IBS and recently also in PD. Symptoms that were IBS-like were significantly more prevalent in PD patients than in controls." How much more prevalent? Almost 100% higher in those with PD. For the record, IBS is itself an Autoimmune Disease that is strongly associated with both SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) andFODMAPS (HERE).

Just a few short months ago, in December of 2017, seventeen researchers published this study (Gut Microbiota Regulate Motor Deficits and Neuroinflammation in a Model of Parkinson's Disease) in Cell, concerning Parkinson's relationship to a neuronal protein known as α-SYNUCLEIN.

The English version: Even in mice that were genetically raised to express high levels of α-synuclein; that alone did not cause the neurological symptoms (motor deficits) seen with Parkinson's until dysbiotic bacteria were added to the equation. This, folks, is epigenetics in action. Thus, antibiotics rendered at the correct stage of the disease process improved the situation. Likewise, colonizing or re-colonizing the Gut with FMT-derived dysbiosis caused symptoms. Furthermore, when certain SCFA's were introduced to germ-free mice, it was enough to cause symptoms (for the record, SCFA's are not all bad. Some, such as butyrate are the primary food sources for "good" bacteria, having both anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties). What's amazing (but not surprising if you've followed my posts on FMT) is that when feces from people with Parkinson's was put into the hyper-αSyn mice, the mice developed motor deficits "movement disorders". And as for microglia activation (brain inflammation), you can read about that HERE. Bottom line, no matter what other factors might be present, if the right bacteria are not there, the chances of developing Parkinson's decrease dramatically.

Speaking of SCFA's, a study from the November issue of Parkinsonism & Related Disorders (Short Chain Fatty Acids and Gut Microbiota Differ Between Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Age-Matched Controls) showed exactly what I was just talking about. "Patients with Parkinson's disease frequently have gastrointestinal symptoms and exhibit the PD-typical pathohistology in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Both, clinical symptoms and pathohistological changes in the ENS occur at early stages and can precede the motor manifestations of PD." Did you catch that? Problems in the Gut's nervous system (the ENS) manifest before the tremors, weakness, and altered gait. The neurological changes were associated with "Fecal SCFA concentrations that were significantly reduced in PD patients compared to controls." In other words, these folk's Gut bacteria were not making enough BUTYRATE. "Our study confirms the recently reported association between PD and the abundance of certain gut microbiota and shows a reduction in fecal SCFA concentrations (one main metabolic product of certain gut bacteria). The reduction in SCFA might, theoretically, induce alterations in the ENS and contribute to gastrointestinal dysmotility in PD."

In November of last year, PLoS One gave us an interesting piece of research from Japan (Progression of Parkinson's Disease is Associated with Gut Dysbiosis: Two-Year Follow-Up Study). Knowing that microbiomes of those with diseases always show less diversity (fewer microbial species), what would you expect to see over the course of patients living two years with Parkinson's? "Emergence of intestinal α-synuclein... in presymptomatic PD patients implies that the PD pathology starts from the intestine. We and others indeed reported intestinal dysbiosis in PD patients. In 2 years, total fecal bacterial count, as well as the counts of 6 out of 10 representative intestinal bacterial groups/genera/species, were decreased in all PD patients." This should make you start wondering what you could possibly do to increase your number of bacterial species (not just the gross numbers of a few bacterial species as happens with probiotic therapy).

October's issue of Neurology (REM Sleep Behavior Disorder is Related to Enteric Neuropathology in Parkinson Disease) showed why many of you with Parkinson's (or those who might be more prone to developing Parkinson's at some future time) have trouble sleeping. When it comes to "enteric neuropathology" --- pathology of the Gut's nervous system --- "Patients with PD and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have a greater frequency of synuclein pathology in the enteric nervous system, suggesting that RBD is associated with widespread synuclein neuropathology." If you recall, Parkinson's is intimately related to issues with α-synuclein. A year ago this month, Frontiers in Neurology published A STUDY on the well-researched and much-written-about relationship between PD and sleep disturbances.

April's issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design (Gut Permeability and Microbiota in Parkinson's Disease: Role of Depression, Tryptophan Catabolites, Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress and Melatonergic Pathways) covered a wide variety of topics, including the "leaky" Gut and Dysbiosis. "These wider biological changes in PD are compatible with alterations in gut permeability and changes in gut microbiota." Although this study was essentially a quest for a new drug, there were interesting facts to be gleaned on both SEROTONIN and MELATONIN as related to PD. A study from April's issue of the European Journal of Neuroscience showed via its title that a leaky barrier system (what I usually refer to as "THE LEAKIES" --- leaky brain, leaky cord, leaky lung, leaky nerve, etc) is not something that only happens in the Gut (In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging of Neurogenesis - The Role of the Blood Brain Barrier in an Experimental Model of Parkinson's Disease). Still another study, this one from last February's copy of Biomacromolecules (Iron Chelation Nanoparticles with Delayed Saturation as an Effective Therapy for Parkinson Disease) showed how the substantia nigra gets gummed up with iron, and how scientists have come up with a potential CHELATING AGENT to remove it (zwitterionic poly 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine), causing a substantial reduction of PD symptoms.

November's issue of Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports (Microbes Tickling Your Tummy: The Importance of the Gut-Brain Axis in Parkinson’s Disease) concluded that "Evidence suggests an important role of the gut-brain axis in PD pathogenesis. These interactions might be essentially influenced by the gut microbiota. Besides the well-known motor deficits, PD patients very often suffer from non-motor symptoms including hyposmia [trouble smelling], anxiety, depression, impaired executive function, and most commonly gastrointestinal dysfunction. Some of these symptoms are very often present in pre-clinical stages, and their occurrence in healthy individuals is associated with an increased risk of developing PD. PD patients exhibit a pro-inflammatory microbiota profile that might cause and increase in gut permeability, allowing leakage of bacterial products and inflammatory mediators from the intestines [into the systemic circulation]". It's all there folks. The question is whether or not people have the ability to change their microbiomes? Stick around because I'll answer that momentarily.

The March 2017 issue of Cerebrum (Gut Feelings on Parkinson’s and Depression) talked about both the HPA-AXIS as well as the Brain-Gut Axis. "What we’ve learned is that what is commonly referred to as “the brain-gut-microbiota axis” is a bidirectional system that enables gut microbes to communicate with the brain and the brain to communicate back to the gut. It may be hard to believe that the microbes in the gut collectively weigh around three pounds—the approximate weight of the adult human brain—and contain ten times the number of cells in our bodies and over 100 times as many genes as our genome. Over the past few years, the gut microbiota has been implicated in developmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, mood disorders such as depression, and even addiction disorders. It now seems strange that for so many decades we viewed the gut microbiota as bacteria that did us no harm but were of little benefit. This erroneous view has been radically transformed into the belief that the gut microbiota is, in effect, a virtual organ of immense importance. It is conceivable that PD occurs because of toxins produced by the gut microbiota or because of a failure to produce key essential neuronal dopamine specific nutrients, which are required by dopamine producing cells. The microbiota that we initially develop is determined by the mode of birth delivery of the infant (vaginally or by caesarean section), diet, and exposure to antibiotics." This is why much of the underlying pathogenesis of AUTISM is not really so different than that of PD (click the link and scroll titles to see what I mean). And as for ALZHEIMER'S and DEPRESSION, we see something similar as well.

A Norwegian study from July's issue of Medical Hypotheses (Parkinson’s Disease; The Hibernating Spore Hypothesis) showed something amazing about BLACK MOLD and other forms of dysbiosis. "In accordance with Broxmeyer’s [2002] hypothesis and supported by the evaluation above, PD may be due to reactivation of spores, either fungal or bacteria, in the brain – perhaps involving some form of mold, or more likely – endospores from an Actinomycete. At present, this explanatory model is perhaps the most feasible hypothesis regarding a causative agent in PD." Actinomycetales are a type of bacteria. For those of you on Dr. Eric's board, it seems that "Crazy Karim" has probably been right all along!

Last month's issue of the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (Gut Microbiota Dysfunction as Reliable Non-invasive Early Diagnostic Biomarkers in the Pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease: A Critical Review) showed that we might be getting to the point where early diagnosis of PD via metabolic biomarkers (in this case "calprotectin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and zonulin") might actually be possible. "Early diagnosis should enable immediate treatment and help protect the neuronal functions, slow disease progression, improve patient’s quality of life and ultimately reduce the overall cost of PD treatment." Great, but truthfully early diagnosis doesn't mean jack if you don't deal with the underlying epigenetic causes! Just remember, BIG PHARMA isn't interested in a full-blown cure; they are looking for drugs to manage your problem --- drugs you'll have to take for the rest of your life. All too often it's how EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE rolls. Need proof?

Firstly, a collaboration from researchers from across the United States showed in the May 2017 issue of Movement Disorders (Parkinson's Disease and Parkinson's Disease Medications have Distinct Signatures of the Gut Microbiome) that, as the title suggests, "PD is accompanied by dysbiosis of gut microbiome. Results coalesce divergent findings of prior studies, reveal altered abundance of several taxa, nominate functional pathways, and demonstrate independent effects of PD medications on the microbiome." What's interesting is that DR. ART AYERS was talking about this phenomenon with both nutrients and drugs as related to diseases in general years ago. And secondly, why might it be better to deal with this problem via microbiome intervention than by pharmaceutical intervention?

A study from the November 2017 issue of Scientific Reports answers this question with their study, Levodopa-Induced Abnormal Involuntary Movements Correlate with Altered Permeability of the Blood-Brain-Barrier in the Basal Ganglia. "Chronic levodopa treatment leads to the appearance of dyskinesia in the majority of Parkinson’s disease patients." What is levodopa (usually called L-Dopa)? It's the drug used to replace the dopamine that is not being made because the substantia nigra portion of the brain's basal ganglia is messed up. What's critical to remember is that these conclusions were not news when the 1994 issue of Clinical Neuropharmacology (Problems With Long-Term Levodopa Therapy for Parkinson's Disease) made this statement a quarter century ago --- about something they had known about for a quarter century. "The introduction of levodopa 25 years ago revolutionized the management of Parkinson's disease. However, it soon became apparent that the drug offered only symptomatic relief and did not affect the underlying pathology. Moreover, chronic use of the drug was associated with a range of adverse effects. After 5 years the majority of these patients suffer fluctuations, dyskinesias [abnormal, uncontrolled or involuntary movements], toxicity, or loss of efficacy. As the disease progresses, new disabilities appear that are less responsive to levodopa, and its efficacy can appear to diminish, with increased doses often leading to toxicity."

Look, the point of mentioning this last study is not to pick on those of you struggling with Parkinson's who have taken medication. PD is the definition of being between a rock and a hard place. However, what I've shown you today, along with what I've shown you in the past, might leave you able to dent Parkinson's armor just enough so that at the very least, you might be able to get by with less medication. Let me give THOSE OF YOU struggling not only with PD, but with autoimmunity in general, a small example of what I mean.

Once you understand the strong scientific link between PD and both GLUTEN & SUGAR (blood sugar always fuels dysbiosis --- HERE), you'll start to see why some of my recommendations make sense. In fact, I know people --- lots of people --- who are kicking the living #$^% out of their autoimmune diseases by following some of the ideas found in THIS POST. Sure, you might require some personalized / customized FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE, but as far as a starting point that won't cost you anything and won't make things worse, I'm not sure you can do better. Leverage the information in today's post to start creating your own EXIT STRATEGY, and do it today.

Allow me to finish by making a simple, but important point. Educate the next generation (your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc) who are likely carrying the same genetic makeup you are. Use your knowledge of epigenetics to help them start making the necessary changes today as well --- because frankly, things get way tougher once you are diagnosed, no matter how early that diagnosis comes.

WORRIED ABOUT DEVELOPING AUTOIMMUNITY?WHAT DOES THE STANDARD PROFILE OF AUTOIMMUNE DEVELOPMENT LOOK LIKE?

JL (ractapopulous) from Pixabay

"These conditions share common immunopathogenic mechanisms, which explain the clinical similarities they have among them as well as their familial clustering. Environment, more than genetics, shapes immune system. Autoimmune ecology is akin to exposome, that is all the exposures – internal and external – across the lifespan, interacting with hereditary factors (both genetics and epigenetics) to favor or protect against autoimmunity and its outcomes. Herein, we provide an overview of the autoimmune ecology, focusing on the immune response to....." From the study being discussed today.

What does the typical profile of a person who is more likely to become autoimmune look like? Although I could provide a fairly accurate model off the top of my head, I ran across an interesting study on the subject called The Autoimmune Ecology, that was published in the April 2016 issue of Frontiers in Immunology. The authors, five researchers from the Autoimmune Diseases Research Center of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Rosario in Bogota, Columbia, gave people an idea of whether or not they are more likely to come down with an AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE --- something that affects tens of millions of Americans. Bear in mind that these bullets are all interwoven together to the point where it can at times be difficult to see where one ends and others begin.

GENETICS / EPIGENETICS: Everyone knows what genetics are, but what are "epigenetics?" Contrary to what many of us have been taught, most of us carry a cadre of genes that can potentially lead to all sorts of nasty diseases. Notice I said potentially. Thankfully, most of us never express those genes. In other words, EPIGENETICS is the field of study concerning what factors and exposures are going to flip the genetic switch and make a person start expressing certain diseases --- many of which are autoimmune. "Autoimmune disease is characterized by an immune response against self-antigens. Gene involvement in autoimmune diseases is inarguable with hundreds of risk loci identified for and shared between different diseases. Despite the genetic associations for each distinct autoimmune disease, much of the heritability remains unaccounted for. This establishes that the missing heritability probably reflects the fact that genes do not operate alone, but in the context of the environment leading to the gene–environment interplay." Again, the vast majority of "genetic" disease processes never manifest themselves until the gene is affected by things such as those found in this list.

ENVIRONMENTAL AGENTS: OMG; this could be absolutely anything. It could be MEDICATIONS. It could be ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS. It could be VARIOUS SORTS OF POLLUTION. It could be OCCULT INFECTIONS. And as you'll see momentarily, it could be a crappy diet as well. And this is just for starters. Honestly, it's almost a Pandora's Box grab-bag sort of thing. Here is an example given for a single disease. "Environmental exposure (i.e., ever smoke, coffee consumption, silicone implants, organic solvents, hair dye, and pesticide exposure) influences the risk of developing lupus." Everyone associates lupus with autoimmune diseases, but the reality is that lupus is just a microcosm of what's out there. Besides the above, these authors list "occupational hazards, exposure to industrial and household pollutants, water quality, climate, altitude, air pollution, living conditions, lifestyle, behavior, diet, physical activity, cultural practices, use of addictive substances, etc" among "environmental agents". BTW, I've seen more than once that the number one indoor pollutant is a gas cookstove --- something that those of you with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivites) should be aware of.

MICROBIOTA: Name me a disease --- any disease --- and you can find studies (plural) linking it to your MICROBIOME in some form or fashion. This is why GUT HEALTH is everything --- the ultimate force that is either driving or squelching INFLAMMATION. I once heard DR. ART AYERS say something along the lines that the food we eat is not really feeding us, as much as it is feeding our microbial population (there are ten times the number of bacteria as cells in our body), which in turn feeds us with what we need to thrive and survive. In other words, figure out what good bacteria like to eat and feed them. One thing for sure is that we already know what specific foods screw them up, feeding the DYSBIOSIS that was caused by the ANTIBIOTICS (or NON-ANTIBIOTOICS) included in the first bullet. "It is noteworthy that microbiota is the first barrier against pathogenic microorganisms. Any change in microbiota could induce dysbiosis and a pathological event." I challenge you to find me a recent (5 years or newer) study on autoimmunity that does not deal with the importance of biosis (normal flora) and dysbiosis (abnormal flora).

DIET: While these authors did not include diet on their main list (it was mentioned in this study secondarily several times), we know that "environment" includes diet. We also know that there are about a jillion studies showing that diet affects one's microbiome (see links in previous bullet). On top of everything else, it's also been shown that diet is a major way to adversely influence your genetics (epigenetics). It's why most experts are recommending anti-autoimmune diets be along the lines of PALEO / KETOGENIC (remember Dr. Seaman's rule --- EAT VEGETATION OR ANIMALS THAT ATE VEGETATION). "Finally, diet plays a central role in the homeostasis of the microbiota because it defines which microorganisms can survive in the gut due to differences in the preferences of microorganisms for energy sources. Thus, diet composition is extremely important in microbiota maintenance."

TOBACCO: Because this is such a no-brainer, I am not going to spend much time on it. Smoking is bad news (even third-hand smoke --- HERE). This study states, "The association with ADs has also been extensively studied and confirmed based on the direct tissue damage and inflammatory response to tobacco." And while there is abundant information linking smoking to autoimmunity, the studies on its relationship to smokeless tobacco are fewer in number. However, we now have a pretty good idea that Buerger’s Disease (Thromboangiitis Obliterans) is both autoimmune and highly related to nicotine. A 1999 study from the International Journal of Immunopharmacology (Smokeless Tobacco and Nicotine Bring about Excessive Cytokine Responses of Murine Memory T-Cells) explained how nicotine from dipping tobacco can cause EXCESSIVE CYTOKINE RESPONSE --- something very similar to what is currently happening with "healthy" people who are dying from flu.

ALCOHOL & COFFEE: "Multiple studies have evaluated the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of ADs, especially regarding rheumatoid arthritis and lupus." As far as coffee is concerned, be aware that there are studies linking coffee to LEAKY GUT and other health issues, but there are also a lot of studies showing that coffee has some health benefits (I've seen studies showing that it's unfortunately, American's greatest source of ANTIOXIDANTS). Read today's study (free online) if you are a serious coffee drinker, and make up your own mind. Be aware that along with corn and other non-gluten GRAINS, coffee is arguably the biggest of the GLUTEN CROSS-REACTORS.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS: This one can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, socioeconomic status can be good because of the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS. On the other hand, it can be bad because of the hygiene hypothesis (many people in today's society end up TOO CLEAN, both inside and out). "According to this theory, social and environmental exposures have a direct impact on immune tolerance and response, supporting the association between socioeconomic status and autoimmune disease development." Trying to make sense of this section is not my cup of tea. Again, if you are curious you can read it yourself.

GENDER & SEX HORMONES: Are you female? Then you have a far greater chance of developing autoimmunity. In fact, for some diseases such as lupus, you have as much as ten times greater chance. "Over 75% of patients with autoimmune diseases are estimated to be women, and hormones are important in regulating the onset, severity, and progression of the disease. In fact, autoimmunity is considered the fourth leading cause of disability for women." And as far as HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), it also happens to be associated with autoimmune diseases. "A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the association between exposure to exogenous sex hormones (estrogens) and lupus, showed a significant association between HRT exposure and increased risk of lupus." By the way, PCOS is now believed to be autoimmune (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome May Be an Autoimmune Disorder from the May 2016 issue of Scientifica).

VITAMIN D STATUS: Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, is so critical for so many body functions that I barely know where to begin. Allow me to mention the autoimmune diseases that these authors specifically discussed as associated with low levels of the sunshine vitamin. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, Type I (autoimmune) Diabetes, CELIAC DISEASE, LUPUS, AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISEASE (by most estimates about 90%), Rheumatoid Arthritis and INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (yes, most of it, along with IBS, is now known to be autoimmune as well). The authors said that "Overall, vitamin D confers an immunosuppressive effect." In an age where most of our common drugs are immunosuppressive (HERE), you would think that it would make sense to want to "BOOST" the immune system. Click the link to see why this assertion is usually false, which will explain why Vitamin D is critical to help stop autoimmunity --- a runaway immune system intent on attacking self.

EXPOSURE TO ORGANIC SOLVENTS: While this is another no-brainer (see my earlier links on pollution and endocrine disruptors), listen to what the authors say. "Solvents are liquids that dissolve a solid, liquid, or gas.... such as benzene or xylene." Be aware that BENZENE IS AN ULTRA-COMMON XENOESTROGEN. "Common uses are dry cleaning, paint thinner, nail polish, nail polish removers, glue solvents, spot removers, detergents, perfumes etc. OSs are capable of altering cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and tissue-specific function. Both the amount and duration of OS exposure are essential in pathology causality. Chronic exposure to OSs might lead to deposits in an organ and consequently to immune infiltration similar to what is observed in ADs. The self-proteins that are modified by OSs may become immunogenic, recognized as foreign and, thus, initiate an inflammatory response and tissue injury." In other words, exposure to these baddies alters your body's cells (proliferation leads to CANCER and apoptosis refers to pre-programmed cellular death). Once altered, your body no longer recognizes these cells / tissues as self and begins attacking them as though they were foreign invaders. Once your body has begun the attack, it will never totally stop the attack, although it can be dramatically tempered / dampened.

VACCINE EXPOSURE PART I: VACCINE EXPOSURE? Huh? This is a rather amazing assertion by a group of mainstream medical doctors and immunologists (I have previously shown you that these sorts of assertions are rarely published by American researchers -- HERE). The question now becomes how --- how are vaccines associated with autoimmunity? Although I have discussed this before (HERE), understanding the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS provides great examples for grasping this phenomenon. Oh, and before you read the next section, you need to know what ASIA (Autoimmune / Auto-Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants) is. Bottom line, we are polluting ourselves with neuro- and immuno-toxic ALUMINUM, which is as close to a universal VACCINE ADJUVANTas there is. "Autoimmunity is a concern for many vaccines. ASIA entails autoimmune conditions appearing after the exposure to an external stimuli of an adjuvant, including vaccines. In spite of some controversy about the diagnosis and classification criteria of this syndrome, we have observed and discussed patients who developed autoimmune conditions after quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination". After specifically mentioning the HPV VACCINE, these authors mention the NARCOLEPSY INCIDENT as an example.

VACCINE EXPOSURE PART II: After telling us that there are many mechanisms of vaccine-induced autoimmunity, the authors mentioned one that I talked about the other day concerning flu vaccines --- "cytokine production" (the CYTOKINE STORM). They then discussed some reasons why this fact (vaccines are associated with autoimmunity) isn't discussed more than it is (I mentioned one in the previous bullet). Lack of studies / cases ("In fact, in most of the clinical trials evaluating vaccines, a systematic screening for ADs is not performed (i.e., testing for autoantibodies and evaluation of familial autoimmunity)"), the diseases often take years to develop, and one of my favorites --- "bias in data interpretation." I've shown you an almost unlimited amount of pharmaceutical bias (HERE), making it tough to argue that the problem is improving. "On the other hand, in patients with autoimmune diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapy [see earlier link on immunosuppression], vaccinations are often not offered or provided for a variety of reasons, including the fear of complications or vaccine-related illnesses, a concern for disease flare or reactivation, a perceived lack of effectiveness, or a misunderstanding of current vaccine guidelines. Patients with ADs often show decreased immune responsiveness, which in turn would make them vulnerable to infection given their underlying disease and frequent use of immunosuppressive drugs." This is why those of you with autoimmune diseases should seriously contemplate whether or not certain vaccines (ESPECIALLY FLU) are in your best interest.

There you have it folks, straight from the horses mouths. And if you've followed my site, none of it is a surprise. The question now becomes, what can be done to reverse autoimmunity, or better yet, prevent autoimmunity? As I showed you earlier, the best you can hope for is slow it's progression to a crawl, which is doable (HERE and HERE are two examples). What's nice is that I've given you (that would be "given" as in completely free of charge) a template on what it may take for you to start taking your life back (HERE). Why is this helpful to know? Because, as these authors indicated in the first few lines of this post, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES SHARE COMMON / UNIVERSAL TRAITS.

ROSACEAIS IT PURELY COSMETIC OR APORTENT OF CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES?

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Sand, Sand, Thrandorf, Paech, Altmeyer, Bechara

Wellcome L0074338

Rosacea. It's the cherry-red and often times pimply cheeks / nose / forehead / chin, which, according to the National Rosacea Society, affects over 16 million Americans (although some studies put that estimate at almost double that). But what is Rosacea? Despite the fact that there is a great deal of speculation as to what causes it (we'll get to that in a moment), the redness and ACNE is at least partially the result of tiny blood vessels on the surface that have dilated. And even though my pics are all of men, not surprisingly, women are much more likely to be affected. One hint as to what causes Rosacea is how it is frequently treated --- with antibiotics. Allow me to explain.

Depending on the individual, Rosacea can be triggered by everything from sunlight, to heat, to cold, to certain foods or drinks (alcohol, for instance, is frequently associated with the big red roasceatic nose otherwise known as rhinophyma), to the mites that cause mange, to ENDOCRINE ISSUES, to ROS (free radicals), etc, etc, etc. However, there are numerous studies associating VARIOUS KINDS OF DYSBIOSIS with Rosacea, one of the most common being something known as SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), which is itself intimately related to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome -- recently discovered to be an autoimmune disease).

For instance, back in 2010, the June issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Increased Incidence of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth During Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy) showed that among the several hundred patients studied, "SIBO was detected in 50% of patients using PPIs, 24.5% of patients with IBS, and 6% of healthy control subjects." I've previously shown you not only how bad PPI'S are for both overall and GUT HEALTH, but I've shown you that because they weaken one of the body's first defenses against microbial invaders (strong stomach acid --- see next link), they are heavily associated with H. PYLORI as well. In fact, listen to the conclusions of a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology (Extra-Intestinal Manifestations of Helicobacter Pylori: A Concise Review).

"Those of Northern European and Celtic origins appear to be at highest risk of rosacea. It is estimated that the prevalence of rosacea is 1%-10% in fair-skinned populations. Generally, adults over the age of 30 are affected and occurs more often in females. It is thought that inflammation plays a crucial role in its pathogenesis. Inflammatory mediators from an altered innate immune response leading to generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as nitric oxide appear to be part of the mechanisms of disease. Current evidence most supports extraintestinal manifestations with H. pylori in immune thrombo-cytopenic purpura, iron deficiency anemia, urticaria, Parkinson’s, migraines, and rosacea."

Although there are a number of bacteria that pop up as potential culprits, research keeps pointing to H. Pylori as the chief pathogen in developing Rosacea. A three month old study from Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (Rosacea and Helicobacter Pylori: Links and Risks) essentially confirmed this by concluding, "Microorganisms have been addressed in a variety of studies as pathogenic factors. Mite-related bacteria, staphylococcus epidermidis, chlamydia pneumonia, bacterial toxins, and antimicrobial peptide." Which brings me to another issue we need to address; what are antimicrobial peptides.

Antimicrobial peptides are simply proteins that have antibiotic properties (MOST PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS DO AS WELL). While this can be a good thing in the case of peptides, if these proteins get out of balance in your body, they cause dysbiosis. A great example is found in a study from a decade old issue of Nature Medicine (Increased Serine Protease Activity and Cathelicidin Promotes Skin Inflammation in Rosacea). In this study it was noted that, "Acne rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease that affects 3% of the US population over 30 years of age and is characterized by... the release of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides. Here we show that individuals with rosacea express abnormally high levels of cathelicidin in their facial skin and that the proteolytically processed forms of cathelicidin peptides found in rosacea are different from those present in normal individuals."

What studies have repeatedly shown is that individuals with rosacea, SIBO, IBS, and other gut-related problems have something in common as far as treatment is concerned ---- antibiotic therapy frequently resolves their problem. In fact, I addressed this in my last post on FMT (Fecal Microbiota Transplants). The problem is that while antibiotics might be viable for the short term (as long as you are serious about following up with a Gut Health Restorative Protocol --- HERE); over the long haul, if there are no lifestyle changes made, the ANTIBIOTICS WILL MAKE PEOPLE WORSE! 100% of the time. Why? Because when you take antibiotics, you destroy the bacteria that live in your Gut (there's no way around it). This means that you are destroying as much as 80% of your immune system (HERE). Speaking of immune systems, let's briefly look at a study that got a lot of play in the press last year as far as connecting the dots concerning the Rosacea / immune system relationship.

A group of Danish researchers looked at the link between Rosacea and a number of CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE and AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES in over 40,000 patients, almost 2/3 of which were women. What did they find? According to results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (Clustering of Autoimmune Diseases in Patients with Rosacea), "Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition that shares genetic risk loci with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. Rosacea is associated with type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, in women." Having Rosacea doubled the chances of these autoimmune diseases (CELIAC, RA, MS, and T1D).

Besides dealing with underlying INFLAMMATION by addressing Gut Health issues (see earlier links), one interesting Rosacea treatment that I saw come up in the research literature a number of times was LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY. For instance, September's issue of the International Journal of Women's Dermatology (Laser Treatment of Medical Skin Disease in Women) revealed that, "There are four types of rosacea: erythematotelangiectatic, papulopustular, phymatous, and ocular. Patients may have one or any combination of these types. In the arsenal of treatment for dermatologists, lasers offer a safe and efficacious way to treat some forms of rosacea." There were any number of similar studies specifically touting laser treatment of Rosacea.

Bottom line; you need to deal with Rosacea like you would deal with any number of other health-related issues --- including autoimmune and inflammatory issues. Firstly, remove the triggers that drive the inflammation. Although there are potentially a slew of them; knowing about the intimate relationship between GRAINS and autoimmunity immediately brings gluten to mind (HERE). Secondly, address the lesions themselves with a laser (this is an arena where whoever treats you will have to be very careful around the eyes). While Laser Therapy will not likely solve the long-term underlying causes of the Rosacea, it will likely allow for rapid improvement in its appearance --- a huge morale booster since this disease affects the face. Thirdly, get with the program as far as Gut Health is concerned (and take a closer look at the relationship between GUT HEALTH AND SKIN). Also, it's important to be aware that dysbiosis is almost always associated with some form of "THE LEAKIES".

Pandas are kind of like Polar Bears --- all cute and cuddly when you see them in Hollywood movies or TV commercials. But when push comes to shove, never forget they're still bears, and not necessarily the adorable creatures they've been made out to be (HERE or HERE). The same is true of another kind of PANDAS --- this one known as Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Strep. How common are PANDAS? According to the PANDAS Network, "PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) occurs when strep triggers a misdirected immune response results in inflammation on a child’s brain. In turn, the child quickly begins to exhibit life-changing symptoms such as OCD, anxiety, tics, personality changes, decline in math and handwriting abilities, sensory sensitivities, restrictive eating, and more. PANDAS Network estimates that PANDAS/PANS affects as many as 1 in 200 children." The disorder is the result of an over-wound immune system attacking the part of the brain known as the Basal Ganglia instead of confining it's attack to the strep (experts know this because they consistently find auto-antibodies against the BG).

No matter how you slice it, one in two hundred is a lot of children! Be aware, however, that most doctors are totally unfamiliar with PANDAS, and of those who are, many are deniers and don't believe it really exists. Take for instance the article from the March 22 issue of UnDark by Katie Rose Quandt (A Rare Disease? Or No Disease at All?). Although the title alone tells the story, suffice it to say that this issue of PANDAS is similar to the way that LEAKY GUT SYNDROME and NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY used to be --- full of medical deniers. That is, until the amount of scientific research became overwhelmingly impossible to ignore.

Two decades ago, a psychiatrist named Susan Swedo, along with a group of a dozen other physicians and researchers, published a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry called Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infections: Clinical Description of the First 50 Cases, in which they discussed case reports of children they had been following, some since the late 1980's. But according to the pinnacle of truth, Wikipedia, "prospective longitudinal studies have not produced conclusive results." That is until a few months ago. This summer, JAMA Psychiatry published a study by a team in Denmark (Association of Streptococcal Throat Infection With Mental Disorders Testing Key Aspects of the PANDAS Hypothesis in a Nationwide Study) that looked at incidence of PANDAS following childhood "sore throats".

In recent years, an increasing body of evidence has pointed toward a critical role of the immune system and infections in the development of mental disorders. However, the PANDAS hypothesis remains controversial, and most prior studies are small and have methodological shortcomings. We investigated the risk of any mental disorders, with particular focus on OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and tic disorders, in children exposed to streptococcal throat infection in the largest population-based cohort study to date, using the nationwide Danish registers. The study population consisted of all 1,067,743 individuals born in Denmark between 1996 and 2013, and followed for up to 17 years, corresponding to 7.9 million person-years at risk. Persons with a positive streptococcal test result had an 18% higher risk of any mental disorder, a 51% higher risk of OCD, and a 35% higher risk of tic disorders... Full adjustment did not change the associations. The relative risk of OCD and tic disorders was higher than the risk of any mental disorder. Stratified analyses for the remaining diagnostic codes included in the category of any mental disorder showed that after a positive streptococcal test result, the risk was most elevated for disorders of adult personality and behavior and mood disorders.

Why do I bring this all up? It's certainly not because I think you need to run out and get more ANTIBIOTICS than most of you are already taking, whether for yourself or your children. Antibiotics destroy GUT HEALTH / MICROBIOME and are themselves heavily linked to AUTOIMMUNITY simply due to the fact that 80% of your immune system lives in the Gut -- HERE). By the way, this is not simply my opinion, but the opinion of a physician widely considered one of the leading pediatricians in American history, Dr. Robert Mendelsohn (HERE). The chief reason I want you to understand today's post is to better understand that infections have the ability to mess people up in ways that you've never heard of before --- a topic I've written about numerous times in the past (HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and is likewise true of DYSBIOSIS). This certainly makes sense in light of something intimately related to PANDAS knows as PANS. In an article for the International OCD Foundation (What is PANS?), the authors let us know that.....

Newer research has shown that Strep is not the only infection that can cause these sudden-onset symptoms. In a condition known as Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), similar OCD symptoms are observed following an infection, such as mycoplasma, mononucleosis, Lyme disease, and even the H1N1 flu virus.

So the question now becomes, what can be done to reverse, or better yet prevent, PANS or PANDAS? The first thing is to know what to look for. Our own government (the NIH) says of PANDAS, "The symptoms are usually dramatic, happen overnight and out of the blue, and can include motor and/or vocal tics, obsessions, and/or compulsions. In addition to these symptoms, children may also become moody or irritable, experience anxiety attacks, or show concerns about separating from parents or loved ones." As far as medical treatment is concerned, Dr. Swedo and others published official government treatment guidelines in a recent issue of the Journal of Childhood and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (HERE).

My best advice is to avoid infections in the first place. And if you do get an infection of some sort (it's inevitable), not to allow the immune system to get carried away. What do I mean by this? Things that over-hype the immune system tend to be the things that cause AUTOIMMUNITY. You want a properly-functioning immune system, not a "Super-Charged" immune system (HERE).

What tends to ramp up immune systems in the age group of children who end up with this problem (80% come down with it by age 10 and the rest by age 13)? How about something that our kids are massively exposed to on a regular basis --- ALUMINUM (the sole reason it's in every vaccine you or your kids take is to create inflammation / neuro-inflammation so that the vaccines work "better"). MERCURY is also a potential culprit. And as for infections, never forget that the food of choice for most (the very same thing is true of cancer as well --- HERE) just happens to be sugar or high glycemic-index carbs (HERE). And this doesn't even begin to get into the realm of other forms of toxicity (HERE) or potentially neurologically reactive foods such as GLUTEN. And unfortunately, our children are NOT ONLY USUALLY TOO CLEAN, but are being saturated in this crap, in most cases from the day they are born.

Although I don't claim to be an expert on PANDAS or PANS, I created a general protocol for helping people return to health that would at least bear looking at. Nope; I didn't say it was going to be your cure; your panacea; your magic bullet. However, once you begin to understand the importance of controlling inflammation, THIS PROTOCOL will start to make more sense for any number of problems you may have. And if you are wondering about PANDAS link to AUTISM, click the link and start reading.

FASCIA AND AUTOIMMUNITY

OpenStax

Patrick J. Lynch Medical Illustrator

"The fascia is a sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, that separates muscle tissue. Inflammation in the fascia can be an important part of the disease in patients with dermatomyositis."From the Myositis Association's article from earlier this summer, Dealing with the Constant Hum of Pain. The article is essentially the transcript of a Q & A with Dr. Wael Jarjour, associate professor and director of the division of rheumatology and immunology at Ohio State University. His research is focused on autoimmunity, and his clinical practice focuses specifically on systemic autoimmune disorders.

I wouldn't even begin to guess on the number of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES that we know about (HERE is a list of some of some of the more well-known of the lot). The thing that's scary, however, is the virtually endless list of Autoimmune Diseases that don't know about because they do not have names or ways to test for them. No one has figured out what the auto-antigen is (the tissue, cell, protein, enzyme, organ, gland, hormone, etc, that the body is attacking). A major problem with this scenario is that known or unknown, once you have one autoimmune disease you are likely to end up with several, as they tend to travel in packs like wolves. As I've told you before, this is not the result of faulty tissues or organs (THYROID for instance), but because of a faulty immune system that "decides" to attack them.

What causes the body to decide to attack itself? In other words, what drives autoimmunity? That's easy; INFLAMMATION. The only problem is that there are about a million things that can cause inflammation. And here's the kicker. While said inflammation can certainly cause autoimmunity, it always leads to SCAR TISSUE or FIBROSIS, and fibrosis always leads not only to degeneration (HERE), but is the very thing that kills the majority of Americans (HERE).

Although there are almost an unlimited number of these unnamed autoimmune, there are some named autoimmune diseases that are intimately associated with FASCIA. The one that comes immediately to mind is one that my sister had (SHE TOOK CARE OF IT NATURALLY) called Scleroderma. Sclero = scar tissue, and Derma = skin. Some of the biggest names in fascia research (Schleip, Findley, Chaitow, and Huijing) discussed the relationship between fascia and autoimmunity as related to scleroderma in 2012's 550 page behemoth, Fascia, Tensional Network of the Human Body.

Because slceroderma is characterized by a thickening of the skin, it affects fascia (see how the fascia is related to the skin HERE). As you can imagine, this not only causes a host of problems, but in some cases can actually attack and thicken organs as well. In scleroderma, inflammation causes the skin to become "LEAKY," which leads to more inflammation, eventually causing significant dysregulation of FIBROBLASTS. Scleroderma is also related to MCTD (Mixed Connective Tissue Disease), which has characteristics of it, as well as of lupus, MYOSITIS, and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (and sometimes Sjögren Syndrome, which causes dry eyes, dry mouth,CHRONIC FATIGUE and joint pain, as well as problems with organs, blood vessels, and the central nervous system). Speaking of RA...

The brilliant HELENE LANGEVIN wrote an article for The Rheumatologist (What Role Does Fascia Play in Rheumatic Diseases?) in which she essentially asked why fascia is being ignored in rheumatic diseases even though it, "should fall squarely within the purview of rheumatology." Instead, she said that the tissue is, "barely mentioned". She went on to say (I'm cherry-picking)......

"Can pain come from fascia? fasciae are substantially innervated, and there are sensory receptors within fascia that respond to mechanical and chemical stimuli. Furthermore, the receptive fields of these sensory neurons enlarge in the presence of inflammation, supporting the potential role of fascia as a 'pain generator.'"

She went on to discuss the pathological "thickening" of fascia that's most commonly seen in the THORACOLUMBAR FASCIA of in people with chronic low back pain. Dr. Langevin then asked whether or not it would be possible that, "inflammation may also be present in fasciae? Could fascia involvement in rheumatoid arthritis contribute to pain and the diffuse 'morning stiffness,' even before overt joint pathology has occurred?" She cites two studies as proof that this is likely then talks about the importance of STRETCHING (a standard component of MECHANORECEPTIVE REHABILITATION). And finally, after talking about fascia's relationship to the immune system, she says, "If this is true, body movements (change in position, exercise, stretching) could play an important role in immune surveillance mechanisms and possibly in autoimmunity." Speaking of autoimmunity as related to fascia, listen to what professor, author, researcher, and physician, Rula A. Hajj-ali of the Cleveland Clinic said in the Merck Manual --- the world's oldest and best-selling medical textbook since 1899.

After talking about connective tissues in terms of LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, and others (not shockingly he left out fascia), he stated, "In autoimmune disorders, inflammation and the immune response may result in connective tissue damage, not only in and around joints but also in other tissues, including vital organs." Why would this be? Why would this doctor mention things like heart problems, kidney problems, or lung problems as associated with autoimmune connective tissue issues and joint pain? Only because virtually all of your body's tissues and organs (not to mention joints) are wrapped in fascia! This fascia goes by numerous different names (usually according to where its found), but are all fascia nonetheless.

Although this next study pertains to DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE of the palmar surface of the hand, the sequence of metabolic pathology leading to the thickening and contracture will be similar in all autoimmune issues (numerous studies have characterized DC as an autoimmune disease). Last July's issue of Current Molecular Biology Reports (Connective Tissue Degeneration: Mechanisms of Palmar Fascia Degeneration) revealed that, "The early phases of the wound healing response are dependent on inflammation and fibrogenesis, recruitment of platelets, immune cell and fibroblast invasion, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts and fibrin clot formation. If the damaging stimuli are repetitive, this will lead to persistent inflammation; higher levels of interleukins, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and pro-fibrogenic transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) [all in the family of inflammation] and therefore scarring. Although acute tissue injury is resolved completely, repetitive chronic injury, the addition of other factors such as age or diabetes or chronic inflammation have the potential to interfere with the correct remodeling of tissue and are contributing factors to persistent scarring. Mast cells [they release histamine, another inflammatory mediator] could also be involved in the inflammatory response leading to the development of fibrosis." Bottom line, while ACTIVATION OF FIBROBLASTIC ACTIVITY is typically a good thing, when these processes turn pathological, too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing --- potentially a very bad thing.

Here's one that will knock your socks off. Dr Langevin above (an endocrinologist and neurologist) just showed us that fascia is essentially an immune system organ (something I've talked a bit about HERE). As far as the immune system goes, we already know that something like 70 or 80 percent of it is found in the Gut (HERE). An article called The IBS/SIBO-Psoas Connection and Why It’s Important for Highly Sensitive People calls this relationship into play. As you read this, you need to be aware that the vast majority --- some studies say 85% --- of THOSE WITH SIBO HAVE IBS (the former is believed by many to be autoimmune, while the later is known to be autoimmune), and both are intimately related to a host of other autoimmune diseases. The author simply connected the dots (quotes below are cherry-picked). Side Note: You will see how important this relationship really is when you see my next post on the relationship between inflammation and SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE.

"The psoas bridges the belly's enteric brain, central, and autonomic nervous systems. The large nerve ganglion located within the belly core going to the digestive and reproductive organs passes over, embeds into, and through the psoas. When looking at issues in the gut, including IBS/SIBO, I think the psoas may be a big contributor. When fascia is unhealthy, largely due to inflammation or injury, it becomes sticky and can form adhesions. Many sources cause the inflammation that leads to adhesions, the most obvious being direct injury or trauma. Other factors include infection, repetitive movement, poor diet, toxins, poor posture and emotional stress. Because fascia provides the atmosphere through which nerve interactions happen, it responds to stress and tension. Additionally, during an injury, it’s common for fascia to constrict around the injury in order to provide structured protection, tightening the whole fascial system and potentially causing pain and discomfort in an area of the body not associated with the injury. The enteric nervous system functions without us thinking about it, but requires communication between this system and the CNS through sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers connecting the two. Through these links, the two systems can speak to each other. Generally, sympathetic stimulation (usually a stress response, indicating activity) inhibits gastrointestinal secretions and causes the digestive tract to constrict or close down. Parasympathetic stimuli (our “rest and digest” system) stimulates digestive activities."

The bottom line is that yes, I believe that fascia can be affected by autoimmunity. In fact, I believe that it's not terribly uncommon to see it attacked, whether via some of the known entities we discussed at the beginning of the post, or by inflammation induced by the unknown entities I touched on as well. I get slews of emails from people wondering if I can help them with _________ (insert problem here), many of which are various sorts of PAIN SYNDROMES. The things I am more likely to be able to help tend to be rather straightforward. For example, Mary gets in a car wreck, develops restriction, CHRONIC NECK PAIN (and probably HEADACHES), and contacts me to see if I think I can help. Probably so, and the cool thing is that she'll know in a single visit (HERE or HERE).

However, when people contact me with scenarios that look like THIS ONE --- pain all over the place, and a wide array of problems --- the odds that I can help shrink dramatically. It's not that you can't help yourself in these cases (I have provided a generic protocol HERE), it's just that when people have known autoimmune diseases and/or pain that is both above and below the waist and on both sides of the body, I start thinking systemic issues such as autoimmunity (SYSTEMIC FASCIAL ADHESIONS). If this is the case, these must be addressed before TISSUE REMODELING is really going to help. Once you realize that there are those who believe that problems with fascia are the root of all sickness, disease, and pain, this post starts to make even more sense (HERE).

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis? Ankylosis is essentially a FIBROTIC or bony adhesion, usually related to INFLAMMATION, of the soft tissues that make up a joint, or of the bony joint itself. Bone spurs, calcium deposits, and thinning joints are examples of degenerative ankylosis that are part of degenerative arthritis (OSTEOARTHRITIS). With AS, the joints spaces don't so much thin as they calcify. Speaking of "degenerative," that's exactly what the word Spondylosis means in relationship to the vertebral column (Spondylitis is degeneration / inflammation of the spinal column). Thus, Ankylosing Spondylitis is an inflammatory degeneration of the bones and soft tissues that make up the spine (it this way it is somewhat similar to RA), leading to degeneration and extreme calcification. This calcification not only encompasses the spinal discs, but in some cases looks on X-ray like someone poured plaster down the spine, with copious (mega) amounts of calcification, essentially fusing the vertebrae together.

I am talking today about Ankylosing Spondylitis simply because of the story by Margaret Jaworski (Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds Educates People About Ankylosing Spondylitis) in the recent issue of Practical Pain Management. Not knowing anything about Imagine Dragons (when it comes to music, I'm definitely stuck in a TIME WARP), I realized I had heard at least one of their songs on the radio while in the car with my older kids.

One of the things that is specific to Ankylosing Spondylitis is that it is linked to several other forms of Systemic Arthritis via the HLA-B27 gene. The thing I remember from school about this gene is the mnemonic PAIR (Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Reiters Syndrome). Like virtually all other similar "genetic" diseases, we find that EPIGENETICS actually plays a much bigger role than genetics. For instance, even though a quarter of the population of northern Scandinavia are said to be carriers of the HLA-B27 gene, less than 2% actually have AS. This is a big deal because it means that the simple fact of carrying "bad" genes does not necessarily condemn you to the disease. Follow along as I provide a few suggestions to those dealing with Ankylosing Spondylitis that go beyond merely covering symptoms, but might actually bring about a remission. Why getting started right away important? The author states.

"Early diagnosis and treatment are important to help slow disease progression, which may lead to irreversible autofusing of the spine’s vertebral bodies and joints. Often, the first symptom of AS is sacroiliitis, or inflammation of one or both of the sacroiliac joints. This inflammation can cause diffuse back pain and/or buttock pain that radiates into the thigh. However, those with AS may have other manifestations, including knee pain, dactylitis, plantar fasciitis, heel pain (especially in the morning), Achilles tendon pain, and uveitis."

GENETIC TESTING: Genetic Testing continues to get both better and cheaper. Unfortunately, research has shown that the majority of people who have genetic testing done don't really do anything about it (I have the peer review on this but couldn't find my link). The point is not merely to tell you that yes, you carry a gene that can lead to a certain disease. It's to get you motivated to act and head as many bad things off at the pass as is humanly possible. Furthermore, genetic testing can provide lots of information about various metabolic abnormalities. For instance, if you happen to carry the MTHFR Mutation, you will have trouble converting the B-VITAMIN folic acid to its usable form (folate), trouble with PHASE II DETOX, and trouble converting homocystine into methionine, which is needed to make GLUTATHIONE -- the body's premier antioxidant. Because we are learning more and more that you are not as condemned by most genetic mutations as we have historically been led to believe, knowing information like this can prove invaluable as far as proper supplementation is concerned (see links).

GUT HEALTH: The authors of this article show that GUT HEALTH (or more correctly, lack of it) is a probable epigenetic trigger. "There’s also some indication that a bacterial infection or imbalance in the gut may trigger the autoimmune response of AS in those with a genetic predisposition." If you want to see what "bacterial triggers" look like, look no farther than our many posts on DYSBIOSIS or ROOT CANALS. This is why FMT is something I would absolutely recommend Dan or anyone else in his situation take a look at. Speaking of FMT...

FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANT: The new frontier in healthcare is the old frontier --- the Gut. Natural healers have been talking about healing disease by healing the Gut for just about as long as we have written history. FMT is critical in this aspect, simply because no matter what your doctor tells you, when it comes to nasty things like AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES (HERE is a list of some of the more common), simply taking probiotics isn't going to get er done (HERE) as far as Git Health is concerned. Once you realize that Reynolds also has Ulcerative Colitis (he was diagnosed two years prior to AS), this issue becomes that much more glaring.

DIET IS CRITICAL: The author states, "Dan Reynolds is feeling good. Right now, Reynolds is in the “healthiest place he’s been in a long time,” he said. He been off medication for over a year and hasn’t had a major flare-up in months. In the past, he has needed to take a biologic medication to control the inflammation and pain. Since his diagnosis and treatment, he’s gone into remission a couple of times. In fact, he’s now in remission. But AS is unpredictable, he said. “Next year might be a bad year for me. I may have to go back on the biologics. His diet isn’t particularly restrictive. He eats in moderation. He doesn’t drink alcohol and has “pretty much eliminated sugar,” he says, though he allows himself a cheat day now and then." Although they are frequently a miracle drug, biologics certainly have their dark side. These drugs (they almost all end in "mab") block INFLAMMATION (IL-6, TNF-α, and others). Because AS affects the way that antigens interact with T-CELLS, and because these biologics are another in a long line of IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPRESSORS, it might be interesting to learn what can be done to control this problem via diet. Because sugar is massively inflammatory (HERE), cutting it out is definitely a good starting point. However, when we start talking IBD and AS --- both potentially crippling autoimmune diseases --- diet must go further. For instance, are you aware of the link between Gluten and Autoimmunity (HERE). Also, take a look at my numerous posts on PALEO to see why I feel it provides the best chance of diminishing inflammation while providing ample amounts of quality protein needed for repair, along with plenty of healthy SATURATED FATS for the proper function and repair of the nervous system. Although the article talked quite a bit about the exercise program Reynolds is using, my opinion is that while important, diet is that much more so.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE: The things listed above are just for starters. What's really cool is that if you look around, you can find a good FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST (maybe one who happens to be a FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST as well). And for those of you who are wanting to go this route but feel you can't afford it since most of these protocols are not covered by insurance, HERE you go.

OTHERS: The truth is, there are almost an endless number of things that could potentially provide not only relief, but actually aid in the healing / remission process. If money is no object (Reynold's case), invest in the best LOW LEVEL LASER you can lay your hands on. I would also suggest that you make yourself aware of potential triggers. People with Autoimmune Diseases are warned to get their shots (HERE for instance) because their immune systems are so "weak". Believe me when I tell you that vaccinations and MEDICATIONS OF ALMOST EVERY KIND (or HERE) are not strengthening the immune system and are not doing one's Gut any favors. Truthfully, the list of potential aids to healing are almost unlimited; particularly as various forms of ENERGY MEDICINE continue to gain mainstream traction. As for CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS, I have treated many patients over the years who have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Most of these folks do quite will if you change your technique a bit and don't try to forcefully "crack" their spine --- particularly if the disease has progressed very much.

This post was not aimed at Dan Reynolds in any way, shape, or form. The article from PPM simply provided a ready platform to address yet another Autoimmune Disease to my readers. It's an important topic because we know that a huge segment of the population (between a third and half) has at least one Autoimmune Disease, dramatically increasing their chances of developing others. Furthermore, the starting point for dealing with most of these is essentially the same. If you are interested in looking at similar CASE HISTORIES concerning Autoimmunity and CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE DISEASES, simply click the link and start reading.

Sometimes I take CASE HISTORIES that people send me and discuss them via a blog post where everyone can see.

Oh dear God, PLEASE help me with my right hip pain. It stated aged 19 and I'm 39. I don't take pain killers for it and never have. It's enough to drive anyone crazy. I don't complain about it but anyone else I know would at least have gone to their GP and would be whining about it non-stop. I just get on with it. I've been to so many physios (and one GP). I even went to a sports medicine physician (who sent me to a physio).

It starred when I got glandular fever. At the time I had anterior thigh pain and a very very very very tight IT band with it. I then developed foot drop and urinary incontinence. I was sent to a neurologist and waited over a year for a T-L MRI. I've never had a hip x-ray, and as I dislike the amount of radiation, no one has scanned me.

I have muscle wasting down my whole medial right leg. At the time and for years I had fasiculation right up to my right eye. My right toe still catches on the ground. The pain back then and for ages also went to my knee and the sole of my right foot and right great toe. My hip is tender always. I have not the same strength in my right-sided glutes as left.

I also had pain from the middle of my back across my right scapula, under my arm in to my elbow and right wrist then. I also had intense pain where you would describe the gallbladder to be. I've tried everything (so far have declined steroids or surgery). I can't externally rotate or abduct. I can't do yoga. Sitting, standing, walking, running, and high heels hurt. I can't even sit in the yoga position. I finally have to admit that I have chronic pain.

Up until that time I played sport for my country, and enjoyed immense immense immense fitness, and intense success in sport. It was easy for me. At club level, the coach used to run me extra / separately and had me training with him. And he was at his peak fitness. I was ridiculously fast and had ridiculous stamina and flexibility. It feels like my life changed overnight. I remember no injury.

Now I'm lethargic and overweight with a sugar addiction. A shadow of the athlete that I was. Truth is I am now finally admitting.... this has made me depressed. Thank you for any help you can give! Jane.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🌻

Hello Jane.

Let's start at the beginning. Glandular Fever is the Aussie's name for mononucleosis (Mono), which is most often caused by either the Epstein Barr Virus (Herpes Virus 4) or Cytomegalovirus (Herpes Virus 5). If you spend any amount of time looking at message boards or talking to people in FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE, you'll find that while these two infections are usually self-limiting, they have the potential to do some crazy things and cause some ugly problems --- problems that are not well understood inside the mainstream medical community.

Part of the reason for this is that all herpes virus have the ability to lay dormant for decades, raising their ugly heads when given an opportunity (some sort of IMMUNE SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION). You can see this with things like cold sores, HPV, SHINGLES, etc. The other thing about these two virus is that they are both associated with Guillain Barre Syndrome. According to Wikipedia....

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system. The initial symptoms are typically changes in sensation or pain along with muscle weakness, beginning in the feet and hands. This often spreads to the arms and upper body with both sides being involved. The symptoms develop over hours to a few weeks. Some are affected by changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system, which can lead to dangerous abnormalities in heart rate and blood pressure. The cause is unknown. The underlying mechanism involves an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves and damages their myelin insulation. Sometimes this immune dysfunction is triggered by an infection or, less commonly, surgery or vaccination.

Simply do a Google search of "Epstein Barr, Cytomegalovirus, Guillain Barre Syndrome" and look at the freaky amount of freaky information that comes up --- some of it brand new and some of it fifty years old --- much of it from the peer-reviewed literature. In other words, this connection is not a reach and it's not anything new. Honestly, GBS is a simple diagnosis to make, so I doubt that you actually had GBS. However, you most assuredly had something along those same lines --- something in the same family (there are many many neurological reactions and autoimmune issues that are unnamed --- can anyone say MUPS?). This tells us that you are not dealing with just a simple hip issue.

This stuff may affected your left brain / right cerebellum on some level, and undoubtedly attacked your lumbar plexus. You have radicular symptoms on the right side (foot / toe drop, muscles not firing, sciatic-pain, etc). Also, your bladder is neurologically controlled (at least partly) by nerves that come from about the L3 level down through the sacrum --- the same area that makes up the SCIATIC NERVE. If you look at myotomes and muscle innervation charts, you'll see that these are the same levels that innervate the muscles around your hip, quad, and certain other areas of the lower extremity, thus, the reason they wanted an MRI of your (TL area) THORACOLUMBAR SPINE (BTW, you are correct about CT being dangerous). It's important to be aware that it's very difficult to correlate what's found on the imaging with real-world symptoms (HERE).

So; getting down to fixing (or at least addressing) this beast. I think your approach has to be three-pronged. You'll have to address the AUTOIMMUNE ISSUE, you'll have to address the occult (hidden) viral infection (HERE'S a common example of this phenomenon in a different arena), and you'll have to address the neurological issue (undoubtedly you are in SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE). This is not just a matter of strengthening and stretching; the reason that your PT was unhelpful.

As far as addressing the virus, there are all sorts of cool things out there that help a lot of people assess and address the occult virus hiding in their body. For instance, I have a patient (HERE) who has been able to win world championships in off-road triathlon, despite having Lymes Disease (bacterial). She underwent ozone therapy from an MD in Florida (Ozone Sauna among other things) with great success. And as far as the neurological aspect; hands down, I would make a trip to see DR. RANDY BECK --- an instructor and author for the CARRICK INSTITUTE. Don't know him personally, but if he is teaching for Ted Carrick's group, he's sharp.

God Bless and hope this helps. I want an update in six months Jane. I also commend you for recognizing that "THE BIG FIVE" is not going to help you with this problem.Sincerely,Russ Schierling

**** From her response to this post, I learned that "Jane" is a physician --- 'Dr. Jane'. Her (edited) response to me can be found near the top of my TESTIMONIAL PAGE.

I worked as a cashier for 3.5 years beginning in Feb. 2014. During this time, I began having shooting pain in my ribs on the right side. Then I could start feeling it in my chest. I was seen by a few Chiros briefly with very little improvement. The areas between the ribs are tender. I was told by an ER Dr it's costochondritis.

Next, My shoulder blades feel like they do not lay correctly, and my left shoulder is so tight. It does not relax when I sleep. I eventually thought this was being caused by repeated motions at work. Eventually I had joint shoulder pain and nerve pain across the collar bone region and down my arms, along with numbed arms and fingers. I looked into Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. A surgeon said I didn't have that. A work comp doctor said I have a fascia problem with some scapular winging, but didn't provide any assistance. I had 12 PT sessions while still working that did not help at all.

Since quitting the cashier job that made me repeat my motions and over-extend my shoulder blades, the nerve pain and numbness have mostly gone away. But the overall pain across my shoulder blades, joints, and ribs remain. And I have bad "flare ups" when I use my arms too much, or experience bouncing motions of exercise like running or jumping jacks. Putting up the Christmas tree at work caused a week of extra pain and discomfort. My primary MD mentioned fibromyalgia to me, and I ran the other direction.

Along with all this, I've experienced neck/throat spasms on my left side. Currently, I have a knot on the underside of my jaw/neck area that's been there for a couple months. It's causing my jaw and mouth muscles to tighten. My dentist is creating a special mouth guard to help with TMJ, but she said I need PT help to improve posture. I wondered if it was a swollen gland, but the dentist swears it's a knot in the SCM muscle. I fear opening my mouth too wide while yawning, singing, etc.

I'm at a loss. I cannot/have not laid on my sides in over 2.5 years. Instead I lay on my back using a wedge pillow that helps keep low back pain away. Tonight I had shooting chest pain that also shot across my ribs to the left of my breast under my armpit region. I'm scared and need help. Please let me know if this is anything you could help with?

Because in my mind, this was all being driven by some sort of SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY ISSUE, I told her that I doubted I could help, not realizing she had been addressing these systemic issues for quite some time as you'll notice momentarily. For the record, the costochondritis diagnosis she had received was a commonly-seen cop out from someone who surely knew better, as was the FIBRO. Sally responded with this email.

Dear Dr. Russ,That is the opposite of what I thought you would say. I read your website, and I see myself in your patients as well as your extensive information. Chronic pain patient. Slowly losing mobility. Fascia is inflamed and needs work. I thought that is what you treated? This pain has taken over my life.

I replied thusly. "I might (emphasis on might) be able to help you, very difficult to say. I'm sure what I do would help you for at least awhile. The thing is, your problem sounds systemic. What are you currently doing to deal with systemic inflammation?" I included THIS LINK with my email Sally replied...

I've seen a functional medicine Dr for the past 6 years. He has tested me for hypothyroidism, insulin resistance / hypoglycemia, estrogen dominance, and other hormone imbalances including sex hormones and cortisol levels. My insulin resistance and hypoglycemia symptoms are gone. My insulin and glucose levels are in healthy ranges. My thyroid is in range. I dropped 40 lbs through dietary changes. My diet is predominantly organic and grass-fed meats, vegetables, healthy fats, little fruit, some nuts and seeds. I developed food sensitivities overtime, which included grains, dairy, soy, and yeast; all of which I cut out of my diet. I still experience some PMS and PMDD symptoms. I haven't had my cortisol tested in a while, but my energy levels are better than ever and I sleep well. My yeast sensitivity caused 1.5+ years of constipation, which has recently improved. I no longer drink kombucha. I believe it was a big part of the constipation problem. I'm trying to figure out what else to do. I am considering acupuncture.

Sally ended up coming and getting treated. She was loaded with SCAR TISSUE all over the place. This factor alone (along with the history of HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS --- itself an autoimmune disease) makes me think that she might also be dealing with one of the myriad of unnamed autoimmune diseases that work against connective tissues FASCIA, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, etc) and maybe MUSCLES (so many remain unnamed because no one has figured out what the auto-antigen is --- the possibilities are limitless). The thing you must remember about autoimmunity is that it is never primarily a problem with the thyroid, fascia, or whatever other organ or tissue is being attacked --- it is an immune system problem. Fail to address overactive immune system (HERE) and before you know it, you'll be fighting half a dozen autoimmune diseases --- like THIS PERSON was before I got involved.

I have a hunch that Sally has PCOS, although she was never tested (her functional doctor had been doing things that would have addressed this anyway). After talking with her, I suggested that she do an Elimination Diet with NIGHTSHADES since she had not done that yet. As far as what might have caused some of her FIBROSIS other than hidden inflammation (Inflammation always leads to fibrosis --- HERE), she was in two relatively harsh MVA'S a number of years ago, as well as falling off the top of the monkey bars flat onto her back when she was about ten.

Russ, I would say maybe 50% better? Maybe a little less. I can tell there's a difference involving the fascia/scar tissue, so that's great! But the pain and tightness I am feeling is strong. My collar bone area is angry.

That collar bone area is where muscles like the SCM and PLATYSMA attach (BTW, TRIGGER POINTS in the SCM can be tricky), creating a strong propensity for FHP (Forward Head Posture). Interesting how the kombucha was causing her CONSTIPATION --- undoubtedly the same sort of mechanism that leads to VITAMINS or even PROBIOTICS causing various sorts of DYSBIOSIS. It's why anymore, my mind almost automatically turns to FMT when known or suspected autoimmunity is involved (Sally couldn't remember whether her ANA test was positive or not).

I want you to know that I am rooting for you "Sally" and that I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Keep me in the loop. Wishing you the best, Russ BTW, once Sally got started on a regimen of Pilates, her pain virtually ended.

GLUTEN SENSITIVITY AS RELATED TO AUTOIMMUNITY

CANDICE CANDICE - Français - Pixabay

"The term gluten intolerance may refer to three types of human disorders: autoimmune celiac disease, allergy to wheat and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Gluten is a mixture of proteins present mostly in wheat, but also in barley, rye and oats. It has been suggested that in NCGS gluten-related peptides enter the systemic circulation and cause extraintestinal manifestations such as ataxia, neuropathy and encephalopathy. Moreover, it has been proposed that gluten causes depression, anxiety, autism and schizophrenia in patients with NCGS, and also reported that psychosis might be a manifestation of NCGS. Nowadays, gluten-related disorders have often been recognized as commonly mimicking irritable bowel syndrome because of the similar symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, bowel habit abnormalities (either diarrhea or constipation). Furthermore, the microbiome may also play a role in the pathogenesis of NCGS. Gut microbiota composition and metabolomic profiles may influence the loss of gluten tolerance and subsequent onset of gluten intolerance in genetically-susceptible individuals. There is currently only one proven effective way of treating celiac disease and NCGS—a gluten free diet." Cherry-picked (as are all studies quoted in this post) from last month's issue of Nutrients (Properties of Gluten Intolerance: Gluten Structure, Evolution, Pathogenicity and Detoxification Capabilities)

"Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected–some 30 million people–are women."From the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

Despite the fact that we've known for decades that wheat is intimately related to autoimmunity and the numerous autoimmune diseases associated with, the medical community largely continues to ignore their own research. This doesn't even begin to take into account NCGS, which studies show, is not even believed to be a real entity by over half of all treating physicians (HERE). For instance, the July issue of the medical journal Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz (Non-Allergic Gluten Sensitivity. A Controversial Disease or not yet Sufficiently Explored?) concluded that, "The avoidance of wheat, gluten and other cereal products is a growing phenomenon in industrialized countries. There exists a significant proportion of people reporting at least subjectively significant complaints and quality of life improvements after switching to a wheat- or gluten-free diet. The absence of clear diagnostic autoimmune or allergic criteria in these wheat sensitive patients has resulted in the description of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It is clinically detectable in only very few individuals and may manifest with either intestinal, extra-intestinal or neurovegetative and psychosomatic symptoms." It is important to realize that despite our ability to test for it, NCGS is both real and potentially severe as described by the previous sentence.

The evidence linking autoimmunity to Celiac Disease is overwhelming. The question now becomes, how much autoimmunity can be intimately linked to NCGS? A study from the September issue of Gastroenterology (High Proportions of People With Nonceliac Wheat Sensitivity Have Autoimmune Disease or Antinuclear Antibodies) went a long way toward answering this question. "We evaluated the prevalence of autoimmune diseases among patients with nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS), and investigated whether they carry antinuclear antibodies (ANA). In the retrospective analysis, similar portions of subjects with NCWS (29%) and CD (29%) developed autoimmune diseases (mainly Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 29 cases)..... In the prospective study, 24% of subjects with NCWS, 20% of subjects with CD developed autoimmune diseases. In the retrospective study, serum samples tested positive for ANA in 46% of subjects with NCWS, 24% of subjects with CD.... in the prospective study, serum samples were positive for ANA in 28% of subjects with NCWS, 7.5% of subjects with CD...."

The point here is that NCGS is at least as associated with autoimmunity as Celiac Disease is as measured by the ANA or antinuclear antibody test --- and in some cases more so. The ANA is an inexpensive blood test that can be added to the panel next time you have blood work done. Although vague as far as what it tells you (it gives you an idea of whether your body is making antibodies against self, although it does not tell you what specific tissue is being attacked), it at least provides a starting point. Now; allow me to show you some studies concerning GLUTEN and AUTOIMMUNITY.

GLUTEN SENSITIVITY IS RELATED TO THE MICROBIOME: Again, since virtually everything else is related to GUT HEALTH, why not Gluten Sensitivity? Actually, there are tons of studies on this specific topic, including one from last month's issue of Gastroenterology (Duodenal Bacteria From Patients with Celiac Disease and Healthy Subjects Distinctly Affect Gluten Breakdown and Immunogenicity). This study revealed that, "Partially degraded gluten peptides from cereals trigger celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune enteropathy occurring in genetically susceptible persons. Susceptibility genes are necessary but not sufficient to induce CD, and additional environmental factors related to unfavorable alterations in the microbiota have been proposed." Did you catch that? GENETICS alone won't do it; there has to be other factors at play. Although there are any number of reasons that more people than ever are reacting to Gluten (HERE), I would have to say that the 'alterations in the microbiota' that we refer to in the medical community as "DYSBIOSIS" are arguably biggest. "Small intestinal bacteria exhibit distinct gluten metabolic patterns, increasing or reducing gluten peptide immunogenicity. This microbe-gluten-host interaction may modulate autoimmune risk in genetically susceptible persons and may underlie the reported association of dysbiosis and CD." An Italian study from the July issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology (Salivary and Fecal Microbiota and Metabolome of Celiac Children Under Gluten-Free Diet) revealed something similar. "Dysbiosis can precede the CD pathogenesis and/or persist when subjects are on GFD. Salivary microbiota and metabolome differed between healthy and celiac children treated under GFD for at least two years. Different studies showed bacterial dysbiosis at duodenal and/or fecal level of patients with active untreated CD compared to healthy subjects. The ratio of protective anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Lactobacillus-Bifidobacterium to potentially harmful Bacteroides-Enterobacteriaceae was the lowest in" the treatment group. Even though these and many of the studies we will discuss today specifically pertain to Celiac Disease (CD), it is critical to understand that.......

GLUTEN CAN BE RELATED TO AUTOIMMUNITY EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF CELIAC DISEASE: You've seen many studies on this but feel like I need to belabor the point. When doctors talk to patients, they will often tell them that while certain health-related issues might be linked to Celiac, Celiac is not their problem because they didn't test positive, thus their problem has nothing to do with Gluten. As I've shown you repeatedly (HERE), this is a dangerous way of thinking. The difference between Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is simple to understand. The only thing that a Celiac diagnosis really means is that your own immune system is making antibodies against the villi / microvilli of the Small Intestine, creating damage that can be seen on biopsy. Knowing this makes it simple to understand why.......

GLUTEN IS RELATED TO INFLAMMATION, ANY NUMBER OF THE SYNDROMES IN THE "LEAKY" FAMILY, AND AUTOIMMUNITY WITHIN THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: Rather than belabor this point, I'll simply ask you to look at the first link at the top of the post, as well as my post on THE LEAKIES AS RELATED TO GLUTEN. If you are dealing with Chronic Pain or Chronic Illness, it is imperative for you to understand this bullet point. And since we are talking about Autoimmune Diseases today, the link between Gluten and Autoimmunity is nothing new. In fact, it was something being discussed by leaders in the field of natural medicine seven decades ago (HERE). The Swiss journal, Digestive Diseases, published a study in April of 2015 called Celiac Disease and Endocrine Autoimmunity. In it they concluded that, "Endocrine autoimmunity is prevalent in patients with CD. The genes that predispose to endocrine autoimmune diseases, e.g. type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and Addison's disease, are also the major genetic determinants of CD.... Moreover, once autoimmunity is established, a gluten-free diet is not able to induce remission." Firstly, this last sentence is not true in any way, shape, or form as you will see at the end of this post. And secondly, as you may have already guessed from this short list, one of the top autoimmune diseases being linked to NCGS is......

GLUTEN SENSITIVITY & AUTOIMMUNE THYROID: Although many are unaware, the vast majority of thyroid problems are autoimmune (HERE). In fact, earlier this year, the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (Celiac Autoimmunity in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease is Highly Prevalent with a Questionable Impact) stated, "It has been hypothesized that the exposure to gluten in patients with CD triggers off autoimmunity against other tissues in the body. CD patients are prone to a number of other autoimmune disorders. The prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is 10–12% in the general population worldwide. 280 consecutive patients with AITD attending the thyroid out-patient department of a tertiary care hospital were screened for the presence of tissue transglutaminase antibodies. Conclusions: The prevalence of CD in patients with AITD is much greater than in the general population." This follows closely with the results seen when the May issue of Liver and Digestive Diseases published a Dutch study called A Large Variety of Clinical Features and Concomitant Disorders in Celiac Disease - A Cohort Study in the Netherlands. In this study the authors revealed that just over one quarter of those diagnosed with CD had autoimmune diseases (immune mediated diseases or IMD). The third most common of these, just a few tenths of a percentage point behind the first and second place diseases, was THYROID DISEASE. What was in first place.......?

GLUTEN AND TYPE I DIABETES: Not to be confused with TYPE II DIABETES, Type I Diabetes is an autoimmune disease manifesting in the body attacking various types of cells and enzymes in the pancreas. Although the cause of Type I Diabetes is unknown, it is said, like most other autoimmune diseases, to be a combination of genetic and "ENVIRONMENTAL" factors. What are some of these environmental factors? The April 2015 issue of the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that, "The one definite environmental factor is congenital rubella, because of which a subset of children subsequently develop type 1 diabetes. The predisposing factors are viruses, gluten and cow's milk. The protective factors include gut flora, helminths [worms], viral infections, and Vitamin D." Isn't it interesting that viral infections can be both preventative and predisposing at the same time and that worms can be protective? Another study, this one from the May 2015 issue of Diabetologia (A Model for the Role of Gut Bacteria in the Development of Autoimmunity for Type 1 Diabetes) sums up the whole mess perfectly. "Studies suggest a testable model whereby a diet high in fat and gluten and low in resistant starch [HERE] may be the primary driver of gut dysbiosis. This dysbiosis may cause a lack of butyrate production by gut bacteria, which, in turn, leads to the development of a permeable gut followed by autoimmunity." Everything we have been discussing rolled into one neat package. Just remember that a HIGH FAT DIET is a wonderful thing as long as it is high in good fats.

GLUTEN & TYPE I DIABETES PART II: The September 2015 issue of Nutrients (The Role of Gluten in Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes) showed us that, "Celiac disease and type 1 diabetes are autoimmune conditions in which dietary gluten has been proven or suggested to play a pathogenic role." How do the authors suggest this problem be addressed? One way mentioned was, "A gluten free diet should cause no side effects, since gluten has limited nutritional value." Getting off and staying off gluten is important because, "Digested gluten interacts with epithelial cells in the small intestine and triggers the disruption of tight junctions. The consequent increased intestinal permeability leads to...... a high rate of comorbidity between these two autoimmune diseases and their rapidly increasing prevalence in the last few decades.... relating intestinal dysbiosis to various diseases, among which CD is included. It has been shown that the dysbiosis characterizing active CD patients is partially reversible and linked to the presence of gluten in the diet." A year ago next month, the Canadian Journal of Diabetes (Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes in Adults: Is This a High-Risk Group for Screening?) reiterated these findings by concluding that, "The association between celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune condition involving intestinal inflammation related to gluten ingestion, and type 1 diabetes has long been recognized. CD prevalence rates 4 to 6 times greater in adults with type 1 diabetes than in the general population. Much of the existing literature focuses on important implications related to the impact of a gluten-free diet on short-term outcomes in metabolic control and quality of life. Canadian Diabetes Association guidelines recommend targeted CD screening in patients with type 1 diabetes who have classic symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss or labile metabolic control; however, a significant proportion (40% to 60%) of patients may have mild or absent symptoms. Recent evidence suggests that adult patients with both conditions are at higher risk for diabetes microvascular comorbidities, increased mortality and impaired bone health if the CD is untreated." The icing on the cake is that you don't have to sit back, totally helpless, letting the disease dictate your life. July's issue of Springer Plus (Potential Beneficial Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Newly Diagnosed Children with Type 1 Diabetes) showed how a, "Gluten-free diet is feasible in highly motivated families and is associated with a significantly better outcome as assessed by HbA1c and IDAA1c." BTW, one of the more common issues I noticed being tied to both CD and Type I Diabetes is......

GLUTEN & OSTEOPOROSIS: After looking at over 200 studies on the subject, authors from the University of Connecticut published their meta-analysis (Bones of Contention: Bone Mineral Density Recovery in Celiac Disease—A Systematic Review) in the May 2015 issue of Nutrients. "Metabolic bone disease is a frequent co-morbidity in newly diagnosed adults with celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of dietary gluten. Approximately 75% of newly diagnosed patients with celiac disease have low bone mineral density. And when matched by age and gender to a non-affected population, celiac patients have a 40% greater risk for bone fracture Gluten-free diet adherence resulted in partial recovery of bone density by one year in all studies, and full recovery by the fifth year. No treatment differences were observed between the gluten-free diet alone and diet plus bisphosphonates in one study." As for bisphospsphonates, we shouldn't be surprised (HERE). This month's issue of Joint, Bone, and Spine (Osteoarticular Manifestations of Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Hypersensitivity) says simply that, "Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune enteropathy based disorder that is triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. The global prevalence of 1% to 2% represents only the tip of the iceberg. The diagnosis is difficult and often delayed because the clinical variability is very large, ranging from digestive clinical presentation "classic" to "atypical" symptoms, often extra-intestinal, that are sometimes attributed to a concomitant disease or a complication. Among them, there are frequent musculoskeletal manifestations such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia. Non-celiac gluten intolerance is a new entity defined by symptomatology similar to that of celiac disease induced by the ingestion of gluten and disappearing after crowding-out [GFD], among patients without specific antibodies and without intestinal lesion of celiac disease." OSTEOPOROSIS affects bones, and so does......

GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS: There is an overwhelming amount of information concerning the relationship of wheat to various forms of arthritis. One of last year's issues of Acta Chirugiae Orthopedicae et Traumatologiae Cechoslovaca (Bone and Joint Involvement in Celiac Disease) said that, "Celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is currently regarded as a multisystem autoimmune disorder; its clinical signs and symptoms do not involve merely the gastrointestinal tract but are associated with several other medical specialties, including orthopaedics and traumatology. In orthopaedic and trauma patients, celiac disease should be suspected in the following diagnoses: osteomalacia, premenopausal osteoporosis, post-menopausal osteoporosis more severe than expected and refractory to medication, osteoporosis in men under 55 years of age, recurrent bone fractures in the limbs, large joint arthralgia or arthritis of unclear aetiology, erosive spondyloarthropathy particularly in patients with the history of chronic diarrhoea, anaemia or associated autoimmune disorders (type 1 diabetes mellitus or autoimmune thyreopathy), and in women with secondary amenorrhea or early menopause. The orthopaedist or trauma surgeon should be aware of suspected celiac disease in patients who do not respond adequately to the standard treatment of pain related to the musculoskeletal system, in patients with recurrent fractures of the limb bones and in young patients with suspected secondary osteoporosis." I don't care how you slice it, that was a heck of a list!

GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS PART II: Completed at Mexico's Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología and published in January's issue of Spain's Rheumatologia Clinica, this study (Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity and Rheumatic Diseases) looked specifically at NCGS as it pertains to arthritic problems. The authors stated, "Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is an emerging entity with symptoms similar to celiac disease, but without specific diagnostic tests. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is an emerging entity characterized by gluten-related intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms in patients with negative CD tests who, thus, are not considered to be celiac patients. With regard to the symptoms, CD and NCGS are indistinguishable. NCGS is estimated to affect around 5% of the population. However, the dichotomous working approach of considering CD and NCGS as different entities does not depict the complexity of a disease that is probably the expression of a biological continuum. There are many examples of patients who, following strict criteria, cannot be considered celiacs, but whose profile overlaps substantially with CD. The idea that has guided the clinical development dealt with in this article is that NCGS occurs frequently and is the cause of a number of rheumatic complaints. It seems reasonable to think that, like CD, NCGS is also associated with autoimmunity." After discussing various health issues known to be associated with NCGS (FIBROMYALGIA, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS, CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, CHRONIC SACROILLIAC PROBLEMS, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, along with a slew of other Autoimmune Diseases), the authors specifically mentioned that, "The use of anti-inflammatory agents, proton pump inhibitors and psychotropic drugs was also minimized because of their secondary effects on the small intestine and on the central nervous system." What they are referring to here, folks, are THE BIG FIVE (opiods were also mentioned), ACID REFLUX DRUGS, and ANTIDEPRESSANTS.

GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS PART III: Last February's issue of Gastroenterology Research (Coeliac Disease With Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Unusual Association) revealed the association between Gut Health (Leaky Gut & Microbiome) and autoimmunity in general. "Coeliac disease has a significant association with many autoimmune disorders. It shares many common genetic and immunological features with other autoimmune diseases. Gluten, a gut-derived antigen, is the driver of the autoimmunity seen in coeliac disease. The altered intestinal permeability found in coeliac patients, coupled with a genetic predisposition and altered immunological response, may result in a systemic immune response that is directed against sites other than the gut. Gut-derived antigens may have a role in the pathogenesis of other autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis." Bottom line, if you have chronic joint or back pain and have not done a GLUTEN-FREE ELIMINATION DIET (the correct way, by eliminating CROSS-REACTORSand NIGHTSHADES) and are still suffering, I can't really offer you any help since you are skipping the first and most important of the factors in solving your gluten-related problems. Speaking of gluten-related problems, you need to realize how many of these gluten-related autoimmune issues are neurological, including.......

GLUTEN AND CEREBELLAR ATAXIA: We've known for years that the huge majority of gluten-related symptoms are extra-intestinal (people don't have belly aches, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc), with most of these tending to be neurological (HERE). One of the most well-documented of these is a potential mimic of PARKINSON'S DISEASE known as Cerebellar Ataxia. Cerebellar Ataxia presents clinically as an inability to coordinate balance, gait, and extremity and eye movements. Pay attention as the authors of Guidelines for Treatment of Immune-Mediated Cerebellar Ataxias (from the November 2015 issue of Cerebellar Ataxias) reveals one of the body's prime targets for autoimmune reactions. "Accumulating evidence suggests that the cerebellum is one of the main CNS targets of autoimmunity, as demonstrated by the high prevalence of cerebellar degeneration amongst neurological syndromes." I would argue that at least half of the ataxic syndromes mentioned (Gluten Ataxia and Hashimoto's Encephalopathy) will likely respond to a GFD. In March of 2015, seventeen scientific / medical experts got together to create a consensus paper, which was published in the journal Cerebellum. The authors concluded that, "In patients with immune-mediated cerebellar ataxias, a part of the deficit appears to remain reversible because they are sometimes treatable." Reversible is cool! How are they treated? "In the case of gluten ataxia, strict adherence to a gluten-free diet." As bad as Cerebellar Ataxia is, there are neruological syndromes that are much worse. One of these is......

GLUTEN & AMYTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: Known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, ALS attacks the part of your nervous system that sends the messages telling your body what to do and how to move. The result is stiffness, weakness, twitching, atrophy, and eventually a total inability move, speak, swallow, or even breathe. Needless to say, the disease is 100% fatal, usually within a few years, although some like Stephen Hawking, have lived with it for well over half a century. This is another of the cases where Epigentics trump Genetics as less than one in ten cases is passed on through genes. The single biggest risk factor for ALS? Head injuries, which are themselves strongly associated with autoimmunity (HERE). In the SUMMER OF 2015, JAMA Neurology published a study called Transglutaminase 6 Antibodies in the Serum of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The authors stated that, "Many patients with gluten ataxia produce antibodies toward the newly identified neuronal transglutaminase 6 (TG6). Two case reports described patients initially diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ultimately with celiac disease who improved with a strict gluten-free diet" In this study, physicians and researchers at Israel's Tel Aviv University compared looked at 150 consecutive ALS patients, testing them for the TG6 antibodies. The authors concluded that, "The data from this study indicate that, in certain cases, ALS might be associated with autoimmunity and gluten sensitivity."

Dr. Schierling completed four years of Kansas State University's five-year Nutrition / Exercise Physiology Program before deciding on a career in Chiropractic. He graduated from Logan Chiropractic College in 1991, and has run a busy clinic in Mountain View, Missouri ever since. He and his wife Amy have four children (three daughters and a son).